SPPU mess fee protest paused as V-C assures council review on September 26

Students at Savitribai Phule Pune University (SPPU) have temporarily called off their four-day sit-in against a mess fee hike, following a written assurance from Vice-Chancellor Suresh Gosavi that the matter will be placed before the university's Management Council.

The assurance came after a delegation of the Students' Federation of India (SFI) held a third round of talks with the Vice-Chancellor late on Thursday, the fourth day of the indefinite protest. According to SFI, Mr. Gosavi committed in writing that the circular announcing the increased mess charges would be tabled before the Management Council for cancellation.

The council is scheduled to meet on Saturday at 3 p.m. SFI said the Vice-Chancellor told the delegation that a decision on withdrawing the hike would be conveyed to students in writing by 4 p.m. the same day.

Acting on the Vice-Chancellor's request, the students agreed to suspend the sit-in temporarily. The organisation, however, made clear that its next step would hinge on the outcome of Saturday's meeting.

A "thali march" has been planned for 4 p.m. on September 26 from the university's main gate if the circular raising mess charges is not withdrawn. "If the circular withdrawing the fee hike is not issued on September 26, the thali march planned for 4 p.m. will go ahead," SFI said in a statement.

Should the university issue a written circular cancelling the hike, the proposed march would be replaced by a gathering to mark what the organisation described as the success of the students' agitation.

SFI has asked students to assemble at the main gate at 4 p.m. on September 26 regardless of the council's decision. The agitation could resume if the university does not formally withdraw the increase, the organisation indicated.