JNU fee hike: HRD panel-students meet ends, to submit suggestions in 1 week

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The HRD Ministry appointed three-member panel to recommend ways to restore normal functioning in the Jawaharlal Nehru University (JNU) which is facing student agitation, concluded its meetings on Friday and will submit its recommendations next week.

The three-member committee, including former UGC Chairman V S Chauhan, AICTE chairman Anil Sahasrabudhe and UGC secretary Rajnish Jain visited JNU campus on Friday to meet the students union representatives.

"We spoke to the students union representatives and took their suggestions into account. The meeting went on for two hours where we dwelled upon the reasons behind the discord between the varsity administration and students," a committee member told PTI on the condition of anonymity.

"This was the final meeting and we have listened to all perspectives. We will now submit our recommendations within a week's time," he added.

V S Chauhan told reporters after the meeting, "the discussion has been positive but the final call will be taken by the JNU administration. We will submit the recommendations soon",

The three-member panel was constituted on Monday to recommend ways to restore normal functioning of the Jawaharlal Nehru University and mediate between the administration and students who have been protesting for nearly four weeks over the hostel fee hike.

The Friday meeting was the second round of discussions that the panel members had with the student representatives. The first meeting was held with JNU Students Union (JNUSU) office-bearers, student counsellors and hostel presidents on Wednesday at HRD Ministry.

The committee had also met Deans of all schools and representatives of JNU Teachers Association (JNUTA).

The agitation over hiked hostel fee escalated on November 11 when thousands of Jawaharlal Nehru University (JNU) students clashed with police, leaving HRD Minister Ramesh Pokhriyal 'Nishank' stranded for over six hours at the venue of the university's convocation.

A week later, students staged a march from the university campus to HRD Ministry but were stopped at multiple locations and finally outside the Safdarjung tomb.

The protesters alleged that the police had lathicharged and manhandled them, including a blind student, which led to a fresh protest by a group of visually challenged students.