IIT-Bombay students protest against fee hike; demand its rollback

The open letter submitted to the institute administration, which is signed by around 1000 students, demands a complete rollback of the fee hike.

The sit-in protest lasted for around an hour until finally a few of the authorities of the institute came to receive the letter (Express photo: Pallavi Smart)

Around 100 students from the Indian Institute of Technology (IIT) Bombay began a spontaneous sit-in protest at the main building of the institute on Tuesday after they were denied to meet the director to submit an open letter against the fee hike. The sit-in protest lasted for around an hour until finally a few of the authorities of the institute came to receive the letter and assured the students that they would look into the demands.

Students at the premier technology institute in Mumbai’s Powai area are raising their voices against the exorbitant fee hike in master’s and PhD courses. According to information provided by students, the fee structure for both is increased by 45 per cent, in the recently declared fee circular for the autumn semester.

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“The break-up fee structure for existing Master’s and PhD students shows significant increase under all the heads, except the tuition fees. This includes — hostel fee registration fee, medical fee, examination, electricity and water charges, hostel and mess establishment charge, student accident insurance fund, student benevolent fee, and gymkhana fee among all, taking the total fee structure from Rs 16,500 to Rs 23,950,” shared a student while explaining further that the new admissions are the worst hit.

“Their fee-hike is huge with an exorbitant jump in the cost of tuition fees too. For PhD, the tuition fee for new batches is Rs 5,000, which is Rs 2,500. Whereas for Master’s students, the tuition fee has increased to Rs 25,000 from Rs 2,500,” explained the student.

The open letter submitted to the institute administration, which is signed by around 1000 students, demands a complete rollback of the fee hike. The letter also highlights that the fee hike puts an additional financial burden on the students while they are already suffering under the effects of steepened inflation and the after-effects of the Covid pandemic. The students have also mentioned discontent in the manner the fee hike was introduced, as students’ representatives were not consulted.

The students have formulated a student’s collective named IIT Bombay students against fee hike to coordinate the protest. Apart from a complete rollback of the fee hike, the other demands put forth by the collective are: extension in the deadline for the fee payment, increase in the fellowships for the research scholars and transparency in the expenses incurred out of the fees paid by the students. The collective has appealed to the students not to pay the fees until a decision is reached regarding the rollback of the fee hike.

Pallavi Smart

Pallavi Smart is a Principal Correspondent with The Indian Express, Mumbai Bureau. Her reporting is singularly focused on the education sector, demonstrating exceptional Expertise and Authority across the entire spectrum of learning, from foundational schooling to advanced higher education. She is a highly Trustworthy source for policy, institutional developments, and systemic issues affecting students, teachers, and parents in Maharashtra. Expertise Senior Role: As a Principal Correspondent at The Indian Express, her designation reflects her seniority, specialized knowledge, and the editorial rigor applied to her reporting. Core Authority & Specialization: Pallavi Smart is the definitive voice for Education news in the region. Her coverage scope is comprehensive: Policy and Regulatory Changes: Reports on major shifts in educational policy, including the restructuring of entrance exams (e.g., MHT-CET adopting the JEE Main model), the draft regulatory framework for coaching classes, and revised teacher recruitment processes. Higher Education Institutions (HEIs): Provides in-depth reporting on prestigious institutes like IIT Bombay and TISS (Tata Institute of Social Sciences), covering institutional initiatives, administrative debates (e.g., renaming IIT Bombay), and student welfare programs (e.g., mandatory mental health courses). Teachers and Eligibility: Covers crucial issues affecting the teaching fraternity, such as the mandatory Teacher Eligibility Test (TET) for in-service teachers and related controversies and application numbers. Student Welfare & Rights: Focuses on issues concerning students, including the rollout of government scholarships, the financial strain on schools due to midday meal reimbursement delays, and instances of child rights violations (e.g., the Powai studio hostage crisis). Admissions and Vacancy: Tracks the outcome of centralized admission processes (e.g., MBBS, BPharm) and analyzes vacancy concerns, providing essential data-driven insights for parents and students. Credentials & Trustworthiness Dedicated Beat: Her consistent focus on the "KG to PG" education beat allows her to develop unparalleled subject matter knowledge, ensuring her reports are accurate, detailed, and contextualized. Proactive Reporting: Her articles frequently break news on policy and institutional planning, providing the public with timely, essential information about a sector that directly impacts millions of families. She tweets @Pallavi_Smart ... Read More