J&K Students Association backs AMU protest against fee hike, writes to edu minister seeking rollback

The All India Jammu and Kashmir Students Association has appealed to Union Education Minister Dharmendra Pradhan to intervene in the recent fee hike at Aligarh Muslim University (AMU), warning that it could shut the doors of higher education for thousands from poor families.

In a statement issued on Aug 12, the Association’s national convenor, Nasir Khehami, said students were “courageously opposing what they see as an arbitrary, unjustified, and exclusionary fee hike of up to 36-42% imposed by the university administration.”

He pointed out that some courses had seen steep increases this session, with the BLib fee rising from ₹16,000 to more than ₹22,000.

Khehami noted that AMU Proctor Wasim Ali confirmed a hike of ₹500 to ₹1,500 in various courses, attributing it to infrastructure upgrades and collective committee decisions.

“However, this explanation does not lessen the crushing burden on the students, many of whom come from socially backward classes, working-class families, and economically weaker sections,” Khehami wrote in the letter.

AMU spokesperson Omar Peerzada said the university was addressing “concerns of continuing students on issues relating to fee hikes” and had circulated a proforma on social media for students to submit suggestions.

Prof M Asmer Beg, convener of the committee examining the fee hike, has invited bona fide students to share their demands through the form.

The Association has also asked the Education Minister to order a probe into the alleged assault on protestors at Bab-e-Syed Gate on Aug 8, when students staging a peaceful dharna were reportedly dragged away by authorities.

Citing the absence of an elected students’ union for the past seven years, the letter accused the AMU administration of operating without accountability and transparency, leading to a communication gap on campus. It also flagged overcrowding, poor sanitation, and unhygienic conditions in several hostels.

Meanwhile, protests on the AMU campus entered their fifth day on Aug 12, with students boycotting classes in large numbers.

The agitation, which began last week, has seen students demanding a rollback of the fee hike, immediate conduct of long-pending students’ union elections, and the removal of certain senior officials.

On Aug 10, protestors gathered again at Bab-e-Syed Gate to continue their indefinite sit-in. Several Opposition MPs have also written to Vice-Chancellor Prof Naima Khatoon expressing concern over police and university action during Friday prayers at the protest site.