IIMC students demand to open campus, waive off fees

A number of students of the Indian Institute of Mass Communication (IIMC) on Monday staged a protest demanding reopening of the campus and waiving off the fees for the second semester.

The group of students of Hindi journalism, Urdu journalism, and Radio and Television departments of IIMC alleged that despite promising to hold offline classes in the second semester, the institute has been holding classes online since March 30.

"Large scale elections are being held in the country, rallies are being addressed, why are educational institutions being avoided... online studies of journalism which is a practical course is not possible. The students have read as much as they could read online. There are many practical classes that can only be learned offline," the students said in the statement.

They also raised demands to extend the duration of the courses for a few months and to waive off the fees for the second semester.

Since practical classes could not be held in the first semester due to the coronavirus outbreak, the protesters demanded the institute to make arrangements for the students.

"Library should be opened for students throughout the week. All those students who have not received free-ship yet, should be given free-ship soon. Since the students have not used any campus resources in the first semester, half the amount taken in the first semester should be adjusted towards the fees of the second semester," the statement said.

"If the institute does not meet their demands with immediate effect, they will continue their protest indefinitely," it added.