Guwahati, July 23: IIT Guwahati has once again come under the spotlight for the wrong reasons, as hundreds of research scholars and MTech students have launched strong protests against what they allege is an “exceptionally high” hike in fees.
The unrest, which began on Monday afternoon, escalated through the evening with protest marches across the campus continuing late into the night.
Students say the protests were triggered after the administration failed to uphold the assurances given during an open session held on July 17.
The meeting, chaired by the IIT-G director and attended by deans and senior administrative officials, had discussed the revised fee structure and was expected to result in a consensus — one the students now claim has been ignored.
Tuesday marked the semester registration day for PhD students for the July-November session. However, a majority of them have refused to pay the revised fees, opting instead to protest.
According to sources within the institute, the total semester fee for PhD scholars has increased by ₹10,900 — from ₹34,800 in the January-May 2025 semester to ₹45,700 in the current July-November semester.
Scholars have also raised concerns over what they call unjustified hikes under various heads. For example, the Gymkhana fee has been increased from ₹1,000 to ₹2,000, Medical fee from ₹100 to ₹500, Hostel rent from ₹1,000 to ₹2,000, Hostel fund from ₹600 to ₹2,200 and Electricity and water charges from ₹2,500 to ₹3,500.
One of the most controversial additions is a ₹1,300 ‘fest fee’ per student per semester, despite the institute’s annual fest being one of the most well-sponsored events in Northeast India. Students have questioned the rationale behind the extra charge.
Adding to their grievances, PhD scholars allege that although the Centre provides IIT Guwahati with a house rent allowance for research scholars, hostel rent is still being collected separately — a move they deem unjustified.
Tensions peaked on Tuesday when several research scholars reported being denied semester registration by departmental staff due to non-payment of fees. This further intensified the protests.
Sources say the unrest is likely to grow in the coming days, with BTech students also expected to join the demonstrations.
IIT Guwahati authorities have not issued any official statement on the matter at the time of filing this report.
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