In a groundbreaking reaction, Students and parents have criticised Pondicherry University’s direction asking that they pay full semester fees despite the continuing Covid-19 pandemic, calling the order “baseless and insensitive.” They also pointed out that a central university was insisting on them paying full fees when they won’t be using sports, library and computer facilities.

Pondicherry University Students' Council president, Parichay Yadav, said, "The Pondicherry University has last year also asked for full semester fees despite the pandemic. This is unfair as students have not  been using any of the university facilities since last year."

They cited a Madras high court ruling asking private schools to collect only 75 percent of fees, in two installments, as many people had lost their livelihood due to the pandemic and wondered how a public educational institution could force students to pay the entire semester fees. “We have no access to classrooms or labs and students are at their homes. Why should the students currently pay for unused facilities,” asked students council president Parichay Yadav and secretary V Kuralanban in a joint statement.

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