Expressing concerns over proposed "steep" hike in fees at IITs, CPI today sought "immediate reversal" of the move in the interest of students from poor economic background.
"We are against the sudden and steep increase by 300 per cent. There is a necessity (for government to hike IIT fees) because of the inflation in expenditure.
"There can be some reasonable increase of 25 per cent to 30 per cent, but not 300 per cent. Education can not be seen from commercial angle, especially in government institutes. We demand the proposed hike is rolled back immediately," CPI general secretary S Sudhakar Reddy said.
Reddy described the proposal as a "retrograde" move that will "affect" studies of students from economically poor background.
The Standing Committee of IIT Council (SCIC) on March 17 proposed a three-fold hike in annual fees of the technology institutes. At present, the fees is Rs 90,000 a year.
A final decision in this regard though would require nod from HRD Minister Smriti Irani.
