DU admn acknowledges hostel demand, ABVP protesters say move ‘not enough’

The Akhil Bharatiya Vidyarthi Parishad (ABVP) continued their indefinite sit-in for the second consecutive day at the Faculty of Arts, University of Delhi (DU), on Tuesday.

The protest began with a ‘chhaatra adhikaar march’ on Monday. Key demands of the protesters include the implementation of the ‘one course, one fee’ policy for post-graduate programmes, rollback of “arbitrary” fee hikes, the establishment of a centralised hostel allocation system, and functional internal complaints committees (ICC) across DU colleges.

While the DU administration has acknowledged and responded to the demand for a centralised hostel allocation system, its silence on the remaining issues has drawn criticism.

“It has been over 24 hours since we began the sit-in, and the administration has failed to provide a concrete response on most of our demands. While the implementation of a centralised hostel allocation system is a step forward, it is not enough,” said ABVP Delhi state secretary Sarthak Sharma, adding that students deserved better reforms, not just “token measures”.

ABVP national general secretary Virendra Singh Solanki said, “Delhi University is one of the most prestigious institutions in the country, yet its students are being denied their basic rights. The ABVP has always stood at the forefront of student struggles, and this indefinite sit-in is a reflection of our unwavering commitment. Reforms like centralised hostel allocation are welcome but incomplete unless all issues — from fee rationalisation to functional ICCs — are addressed comprehensively.” The sit-in is expected to continue until all student concerns are addressed.