HRD minister visits Hindu College to sort out fee waiver issue

The Union HRD minister Smriti Irani visited Hindu college recently to sort the issue of non-extension of fee waiver for persons with disabilities. Read on for details.

Keeping a promise made to a visually-challenged student, Union HRD Minister Smriti Irani today dropped in at Hindu College to sort out the issue of non-extension of the fee waiver scheme to persons with disabilities and address complaints of other irregularities.

Sandeep, a first year UG student, had yesterday during an event at Khalsa College sought the minister's help on the fee waiver issue following which she had promised him that she would visit the campus to look into the matter.

After Irani's unscheduled visit this morning, the college announced that the fee waiver will be facilitated for persons with disabilities and the cheques will be issued immediately.

Students under PWD category at Hindu College will now get full fee waiver on hostel fees as well as a 50 per cent waiver on mess dues, said officiating principal Anju Srivastava, who met the minister along with hostel warden Poonam Sethi.

Explaining the issue, Sethi said, "When the scheme was launched, it was decided that half of the fee waiver will be paid by the college and the remaining half will be borne by the university. DU later informed the college that the funds should be arranged from the Governing Body (GB).

"But after many representations to the university and GB, it was decided that the scheme will not be extended as the latter alone cannot fund it."

During her 20-minute visit to the college, Irani also met Sandeep as well as a group of college teachers who have been staging a protest for the last 42 days after they were penalised by the college for writing a letter to Delhi Lt Governor Najeeb Jung.

In their letter, they had complained about alleged irregularities at Hindu College.

The Delhi University Teachers' Association also submitted a representation to Irani while she was at Hindu College about the alleged irregularities in the functioning of the institution.

The DUTA sought the minister's help in connection with the issue of delay in payment of teachers' pensions.

They also took up the matter of implementation of Choice Based Credit System.

"The minister assured us that she will raise with the GB the issues mentioned in the representation. She also said that a meeting will be called to discuss CBCS and DUTA and other teachers' associations will be invited before the review committee," said DUTA President Nandita Narain.

Lead image used for representational purposes only

Photograph: Rediff Archives