Campus Times | Lucknow 

Tensions escalated on campus as students staged a large-scale protest against the recent fee hike at the University of Lucknow. Organized by the Samajwadi Chhatra Sabha, the demonstration saw hundreds of students gathering outside Gate No. 1 near the DSW office, voicing strong opposition to the administration’s decision.

The protest continued for nearly four hours, after which student representatives submitted a memorandum to the Vice-Chancellor. The primary concern raised was the significant increase in semester fees for the 2026–27 academic session compared to 2025–26. Courses affected include BA (Hons), B.Com (Hons), BA LL.B., MSc Biotechnology, and MSc Biochemistry, among others.

Students Raise Concerns Over Accessibility

Protesters argued that the steep fee hike could severely impact access to higher education, particularly for students from economically weaker backgrounds. According to student leaders, such decisions risk excluding a large section of aspiring learners and could hinder broader goals of inclusive education and nation-building.

Prince Kumar, unit president of the Samajwadi Chhatra Sabha, along with student leaders such as Abhishek Srivastava, Rajat Agrahari, Shiv Poojan Pandey, and Satish Gupta, voiced strong opposition to the move. Prince Kumar stated that as a government institution, the university plays a crucial role in shaping the future of students from marginalized communities, and the fee hike could jeopardize educational opportunities for many.

Key Demands Put Forward

Students presented two major demands to the administration:

- Admissions for the 2026–27 session should be conducted under the existing 2025–26 semester fee structure without any revision.

- All legal cases and disciplinary actions taken against students protesting the fee hike in recent days should be withdrawn immediately.

The student body has given the administration a six-day deadline to address these demands, warning of a nationwide agitation if their concerns are not resolved.

Situation Remains Tense

Members of the proctorial board attempted to calm the protesters, but the situation intensified, with reports of heated arguments between students and the Chief Proctor. The administration later assured that the Vice-Chancellor would engage with the issue, which helped partially de-escalate tensions.

Given the seriousness of the situation, a heavy police presence was deployed across the campus to maintain order. As of now, a standoff continues between students and the university administration, with indications that the protest could intensify in the coming days.

Apart from the key representatives, several other students—including Harshit Dwivedi, Ajitendra Azad, Jatin Yadav, Akshay Verma, Alok Yadav, and many others—were present in large numbers, reflecting widespread unrest across the campus.