Presidency University students union members have been continuing with a sit-in at the campus since yesterday to protest against an "bnormal hike" in counselling fee to courses in BA and B Sc streams.
"The sit-in was held outside the offices of the registrar, Deans of different faculty to protest against the authorities' decision to charge Rs 500 instead of the earlier fee of Rs 100 as counselling fee," Ayan Chakraborty a spokesman of the SFI, the student wing of the CPI(M), said.
Members of Independent Consolidation, another students' organisation, was also taking part in the agitation.
Registrar Debojyoti Konar, who was also confined in the office since last night said, "I reiterate Presidency has no role in the issue as the entire counselling process is conducted by the West Bengal Joint Entrance Examination (WBJEE) Board. Still, we are trying to reason with the students that counselling fee hike was the decision of WBJEE."
The agitating students, numbering around 50, said they did not prevent the officials of university from leaving and the officials stayed at the campus on their own.
The Deans of arts and science apart from Registrar and Controller of Examinations were among those confined in the campus since 7 pm yesterday blocking gates, a university official said.
The university conducts Presidency University Bachelor Degree Entrance Test 2018 which is an under-graduate course and the counselling is done by WBJEE.
The counselling and admission process are conducted on the basis of merit list and candidates appear for counselling round as per the date and time mentioned for them as per their ranking.
"With sudden announcement of Rs 500 as fee, students from not-so-well off families will face problem," a union member said.
The first round of counselling and provisional admission dates have been fixed from July 17 to 20. The second round of counselling is slotted from August 22-23.
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