The students at the central university are opposing a hundred per cent raise in mess charges

Rs 50 for three course meal a day. Very expensive, says JNU

The students at the central university are opposing a hundred per cent raise in mess charges

The subsidized food at the Jawaharlal Nehru University (JNU) is no less famous than it's international standards of curriculum.

However, the Inter Hall Administration (IHA) of the varsity is proposing an almost cent per cent hike in the mess charges. The officials at the IHA have proposed to almost double the mess charges and mess security from the existing Rs 850 per month.

The officials said the varsity could not manage the current prices in view of soaring inflation. "The varsity administration is finding it difficult to manage the mess facilities in various hostels on the campus under the present fee structure, making an increase in the mess charges inevitable," an IHA official said, requesting anonymity.u00a0

However, the students are obviously not amused. They say that the current food subsidy of Rs 3,000 per student should be continued and the hike in mess charges was "unjustified".
u00a0If the varsity administration effects the hike, a student will have to pay Rs 50 for a day's food at the mess instead of the current Rs 28.

The Jawahar Lal Nehru University Students Union (JNUSU) said the move is "irrational", considering that the majority of the students staying on the campus came from the lower-income group.

"We will boycott all these changes. We will stage a dharna in front of the administration building on Thursday afternoon. We don't want any student to be affected from the decision," said Sephalika Shekhar, vice-president, JNUSU. Fateh Singh, Joint Registrar, JNU said, "We are finding it difficult to run the mess at the current cost. So we have proposed a hike of Rs 650. However, the students are demanding a hike of only Rs 150 but that will not solve the problem at all."

The IHA meeting will also discuss problems relating to hostel rooms. According to the current rule, 30 per cent of the total hostel rooms could be converted to single seater. "We are planning to separate single and double seater hostels. However, this doesn't mean that students will be asked to immediately vacate the rooms. It will be done as and when the rooms get vacated. This will help us to accommodate more students in the hostels," added Singh.

The JNUSU said that the proposed new changes will only impose a burden on the students residing in different hostels in the university.