Kathmandu, Aug 25: Students staged a protest rally in Kathmandu on Friday against the Tribhuvan University’s Institute of Engineering (IOE) decision to sharply increase the tuition fee for undergraduate level of engineering.
Under the leadership of Free Student Union, Pulchok Campus, 7 student organizations demonstrated jointly from Dean’s Office Pulchok to Maitighar Mandala. A unanimous demand has been made to withdraw the unscientific fee hike by the Dean’s office. Students affiliated to seven different organizations including Nepal Student Union, ANNFSU, ANNFSU Krantikari participated in the demonstration. These student organizations have been opposing the fee hike separately and demanding its cancellation.
The Dean’s Office has said that the fee charged by certain affiliated campuses has been increased. According to the Dean’s Office, the tuition fee has been increased from Rs. 318,000 to Rs. 777,000 for full course. The IoE has it’s own affiliated campuses in Pulchok, Thapathali, Pokhara, Dharan and Chitwan. According to the Dean’s office, the increased fee will be applicable to these campuses from the next academic session. Fees have been increased showing that the campuses are running at a loss.
Dean Sashidhar Joshi said that the fee increase was proposed as the institute was unable to operate due to financial conditions. “After the students protested, a negotiation committee was formed to review the fee increase. The fee will have to be increased, but we will negotiate with the students to decide how much to increase,” he said.
The protest have been organized in other engineering colleges as well.
