Hundreds of protesting students called the fee hike unjust; a girl student collapses during demonstration, triggering panic
ALIGARH — Students at Aligarh Muslim University (AMU) took to the streets on Monday in large numbers to protest a steep rise in course fees, calling the move “unfair and insensitive” to students from poor and working-class backgrounds. The protest, held at the iconic Bab-e Syed Gate, saw fiery slogans, emotional speeches, and even a moment of distress when a girl student fainted during the demonstration.
The university administration has reportedly raised the fees of undergraduate, postgraduate, and other academic programmes by as much as 36 percent. Students say this sudden fee hike has put enormous pressure on them who already struggle to make ends meet.
“A girl student collapsed right in front of us due to the heat and tension. It shook everyone,” said Mohammad Ashraf, a postgraduate student who was part of the protest. “We want to study, not suffer.”
The incident caused a stir in the area, prompting university authorities to rush to the scene and shift the unwell student to the hospital. Her condition is now stable, according to students present during the agitation.
Many protesters invoked Sir Syed Ahmed Khan, the founder of AMU, expressing disappointment that the institution was turning its back on the ideals it was built upon.
“Sir Syed founded this university to uplift poor Muslims and backward communities,” said Zeenat Fatima, a BA student. “Now the administration wants to turn it into a space only for the wealthy. This is betrayal.”
Students held placards that read ‘Take Back the Hike’, ‘Education is Our Right’ and ‘This is Not Sir Syed’s AMU’.
Students alleged that while some courses have seen a 20 to 25 percent rise, others have witnessed a doubling of fees. “Earlier I paid ₹6,000 a year for my course. Now it’s ₹12,000,” said Salman Rizvi, a third-year undergraduate. “How are we supposed to pay this much? My father is a rickshaw puller.”
Another student, Rihana Bano, said, “This fee hike is not just money—it’s a wall between poor students and their future. We want the administration to understand our pain.”
The students claim that such a fee increase goes against the spirit of the Right to Education and weakens the idea of equal access to learning.
“The government talks about ‘Sabka Saath, Sabka Vikas’, but how can there be development if poor students are kicked out of classrooms?” asked Aqib Javed, a student of sociology.
Several student leaders said this was not just an AMU issue but part of a larger trend targeting minority institutions and marginalised students.
Top officials of the AMU administration, sensing the growing anger, arrived at the protest venue and tried to pacify the students. They assured that the matter would be looked into.
But the students refused to budge. “We are not going anywhere,” said Farheen Siddiqui, another student protester. “Either roll back the fee hike or let the protests grow. This is our fight for justice.”
The protesting students have demanded an immediate rollback of the fee hike and said that the protest will continue until the university agrees.
“This is not just about money. It’s about values. It’s about whether AMU stands with the poor or turns its face away from them,” said Imran Qureshi, a student of history.
The students have also warned that if their voices continue to be ignored, the protest will spread to other universities and cities.
