ABVP protests over fee hike, lack of basic facilities in Raj varsity

Jaipur: The Akhil Bharatiya Vidyarthi Parishad (ABVP) staged a protest outside the vice-chancellor’s office Wednesday over the fee hike ahead of the academic session 2026-27 and lack of basic amenities among other issues in University of Rajasthan.

Protesting students brought a bowl of vegetables, stating that they come from farming families and cannot afford regular fee hikes. Students protested over the demand for reinstatement of student union elections, the withdrawal of fee hikes, the provision of basic amenities like cold drinking water in the universities, ensuring timely completion of entrance examinations and declaration of results, and fully operationalising the Bhimrao Ambedkar Library. The students also raised demands for the repair of dilapidated library buildings before the monsoon.

Bharat Bhushan Yadav, an ABVP functionary, said that the university hikes the fees continuously, even as students are being deprived of basic amenities. “There is an inadequate supply of drinking water on the campus, and the condition of several buildings has become dilapidated. Incidents of plaster falling from the ceilings are frequently reported in the areas where students sit,” Yadav said.

Addressing the gathering, Neeraj Khichad, another ABVP functionary, said, “The university administration must address students’ concerns at the earliest. We will continue to raise these issues until concrete action is taken.”

Tension briefly escalated during the otherwise peaceful demonstration when some protesters tried to climb the gates of the vice-chancellor’s office building and pushed past the deployed police personnel. Police personnel intervened and used mild force to disperse the gathering.

ABVP warned of another protest in the coming days if the university administration “fails to take a positive decision regarding the students’ demands”.