Presidency University sit-in continues

Presidency University students union members today continued with their sit-in at the campus, to protest the "abnormal hike" in counselling fee to courses in BA and BSC streams.

Registrar Debojyoti Konar, the three Deans - Dean of Students, Dean of Science, Dean of Arts - Controller of Examinations were all confined in their offices for over two days as the sit-in which began from 3 pm on July 12 continues, a Presidency University official said.

"We have told the students the counselling process was being conducted by West Bengal Joint Entrance Examination Board (WBJEE) and the fee hike from Rs 100 to Rs 500 was their decision," the official said.

"Still considering the demand of the students we have talked to the WBJEE and it was decided not to accept the counselling fee of those living under Below Poverty Line (BPL) but still the student unions are continuing their agitation," he said adding another round of discussion was slated to be held by late this evening.

However, Ayan Chakraborty, a spokesman of Independent Consolidation, one of the two unions spearheading the agitation, said "The IC and SFI are continuing the sit-in as we demand no counselling fee should be taken from any candidate, whether he/she belongs to poor or any other economic category."