Hundreds of students owning allegiance to All India Democratic Students’ Organisation (AIDSO) staged a demonstration at College Square here on Monday protesting against the fee hike for admissions into Plus II courses of all Government colleges.
Demanding to rollback the fee hike, the protestors termed the decision of the Government as “undemocratic” aiming at commercialisation of education. “The Government has started treating education as a commodity ever since the collapse of social movements in the country that began from the early 90s,” said Cuttack district AIDSO president Bobby Balbantray addressing the demonstration.
The State Government has recently hiked the admission fee for Plus II courses by collecting an amount of Rs150 for managing the examination hubs, Rs50 towards sports and literary fees and Rs45 as academic fee from this year.
Criticising the fee hike, the AIDSO speakers came down heavily on the decision of the government. The student-leaders also urged the students in general, their parents and teachers to come forward and protest against the fee hike.