Fee hike is needed to stay alive and grow: IIT Bombay

IIT Bombay said that only eight per cent of the funds come from the student's fees. It also added that the operational expenses would continue to be more than the fees collected despite the fee hike. 

Fee hike is needed to stay alive and grow: IIT Bombay

A day after students began their hunger strike against the Indian Institute of Technology (IIT) Bombay's decision to hike fees, the institute released a statement defending the move. The institute said that it needed to adjust its charges to stay alive and grow. IIT Bombay said that only eight per cent of the funds come from the student's fees. It also added that the operational expenses would continue to be more than the fees collected despite the fee hike. 

"The majority of our students realise that the government cannot keep subsidising them beyond a point. IIT Bombay is trying to convince the remaining few students to stop the stir by talking with them," the institute’s statement read.

As per the media reports, in 2020 the fee hike was approved, however, was kept in abeyance due to the COVID-19 outbreak. The issue however re-emerged in July 2022 after the authorities proposed a 35 per cent fee hike in postgraduate courses. Students, however, began the protest against the hike, naming it as extremely inconsiderate the students. 

The hike in hostel fees – from INR 2,000 to INR 2,700 – is a major point of contention between IIT Bombay authorities and students. However, the institute has defended the move, the NDTV reported.

"Given the sharp increase in students, we need to build more hostels and academic buildings. The hostel fee increase is essential to cover actual expenses, allowing our other sources of income to be used to provide better academic facilities," the statement read.

Students have been protesting demanding the immediate rollback of the fee hike, the revocation that recommends a 5 per cent annual fee hike and the inclusion of student representatives in the standing committee for student fee matters. 

The institute has hiked the tuition fees for new PhD students from INR 2,500 to INR 5,000. In the case of new MTech students, tuition fees rose from INR 5,000 per semester (after a partial tuition fee waiver) to Rs 30,000 per semester.

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