PhD scholars and postgraduate students of Maulana Azad National Institute of Technology (MANIT) threatened the authorities of the institute that they would go on a hunger strike if the management does not roll back eight-fold fee hike. They also demanded 100% fee waiver. A group of students have met the Director, NS Chaudhary on September 8, 2016 , to register their protest.
Students of SC/ST categories provided several circulars issued by the HRD Ministry which stated that 100% fee waiver applies to the MANIT too. Students also mentioned that the eight-fold fee hike is impractical. They opined that the fee hike must apply to fresh admissions. The problem is the recent fee hike applies to senior students too. Around 200 research scholars are directly affected due to fee hike and absence of tuition fee waiver. The students have requested the director in a written statement to withdraw the eight-fold fee hike.
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The students are desperate about their future as they could not afford the fee. They said that they would have joined any other NIT if the MANIT had informed them about it at the time of admissions.
The students also said that no other NITs have not gone for a fee raise. They cited that the students of MANIT are paying the high fee than other NITs. So far, the authorities did not comment on the issue.