Hundreds of agitating MPhil students of the Utkal University on Friday gheraoed the Vice-Chancellor’s office protesting the steep hike in hostel fee.
Shouting slogans and holding placards, the students demanded immediate revocation of the hiked fee and threatened to
intensify their stir if the authorities failed to do so at the earliest.
Following the stir the university authorities rolled back the hiked fee.
While the hostel fee for a student was Rs 6,500 earlier, it was increased to Rs 9,800 recently annually. Following the agitation by the students, the fee was brought down to Rs 7,650 annually, said sources in the university.
The students had earlier requested the authorities thrice to roll back the hiked fees but in vain, sources said.
Meanwhile, the authorities have kept close eye on the students and hostels to avert any violence ahead of the Students’ Union polls.