Students led by Krantikari Yuva Sangathan (KYS) staged a massive protest march at Delhi University's North Campus against steep fee hikes, poor-quality School of Open Learning (SOL) study materials, shortage of one-year postgraduate seats, and inadequate academic support. They also demanded syllabus reforms, inclusive education, and protection of students' democratic rights.

New Delhi: Krantikari Yuva Sangathan (KYS) activists, along with common students from different colleges of Delhi University as well as the School of Open Learning (SOL), organised a massive protest March in North Campus. This march was organised as part of a campaign to raise concerns regarding various burning issues that are plaguing the future of students in DU. The march saw massive participation of students despite continuous rain and water-logging.

According to a press release on Thursday, a range of issues that were raised in today's march included the issue of steep fee hikes. The statement mentioned that fees have risen massively in Delhi University, with some courses reporting more than 300 per cent increase in fees. The Higher Education Financing Agency - National Education Policy 2020 (HEFA-NEP 2020) model of loans instead of grants to Higher Education Institutions (HEIs) has led to such a hefty increase in fees. This HEFA-NEP 2020 model and its appended fee hike policy must be immediately rolled back.

Moreover, the issue of sub-standard SOL study materials was also raised. It should be noted that year after year, the School of Open Learning (SOL) has callously endangered the academic life of students from marginalised sections by preparing and providing faulty study materials. Despite repeated objections in DU's statutory bodies about such poor-quality study material to lakhs of students who are largely first-generation learners, it remains in circulation, the press release stated.

It was demanded that all sub-standard SOL materials must be immediately withdrawn and an independent academic audit must be instituted, the press release said.