No food, hostel if mess fees not paid: Chintabar urges IIT Madras director to extend deadline

NEW DELHI: Chintabar, a student collective at IIT Madras, has written to the Indian Institute of Technology Madras (IIT Madras) director V Kamakoti and dean of students requesting to allow students to pay hostel fees in installments and extend the deadline. The request was made this morning after several students received mail from the chairman of Council of Wardens (CCW) citing that their mess registration has been cancelled due to pending hostel fees.

“The mail also contains a threat that students hostel rooms will be locked if mess registration is not completed. It is to be noted that the email was sent on yesterday night leaving students uncertain about their breakfast,” the students wrote in the mail.

“It is very disheartening to learn about such an antagonistic attitude towards students of the institute. Unlike previous semesters the summer vacation fee is also included in the fee circular sent to students for Jan-May 2024,” it read.

Stating that many students “may not be able to clear the hostel fees upfront”, the Chintabar requested the IIT Madras director V Kamakoti to direct the Office of Hostel Management (OHM) to allow hostel fee payment in installments with an extended deadline to ease the “financial burden on students”.

IIT Madras' statement

IIT Madras dean Sarathi R urged the students to dine in the hostel mess where they were dining earlier. “Sincere apologies for the confusion on allotment of mess. OHM (Office of Hostel Management will allocate the mess based on your (the students’) preferences by today evening.In case sufficient food is not available, I request you to dine in other mess, to your choice.”

Regarding payment of advance, the dean added that suitable and sufficient time will be provided to the students with the preference of installments.

IIT Madras hostel fees

There are a total of 20 hostels in IIT Madras, all named after the rivers of India. Of the hostels, five are for female students and 15 are for male students.

The circular issued by the OHM dated December 18, 2023, has details of hostel fees for BTech, dual degree, MA, MSc, MBA, and MTech students of 2022-23 and earlier batches for January - May 2024. The hostel fees for general category students is Rs 35,841 and those under SC, ST with Scholarship only category will have to deposit Rs 18,075. An amount of Rs 17,766 which is included under advance dining charges will be claimed from the scholarship section, it said.