The impasse on the hike in mess and canteen charges between Panjab University (PU) pupil our bodies and authorities continued on Thursday because the assembly between them remained inconclusive.

Student our bodies’ members held a gathering with PU’s dean pupil welfare (DSW) and different varsity officers over the demand to roll again the hike. Members of a number of pupil our bodies together with Students For Society (SFS), Punjab Students Union (PSU-Lalkaar), Ambedkar Students Association (ASA), Students Organization of India (SOI) and National Students Union of India (NSUI) attended the assembly and later walked out after their calls for weren’t accepted.

PU had in December introduced the revised charges of eatables within the college hostels for 2021-22 educational session on the illustration of the contractors of mess and canteens. The determination nevertheless, drew criticism from the scholar our bodies, who had been fast to demand the pre-Covid charges be reinstated.

The college’s determination had come after the suggestions to revise the charges was made by a panel that was constituted after receiving the illustration from the contractors. The particulars of the revised charges had been despatched to the college hostels after the suggestions of the panel had been accredited by vice-chancellor Raj Kumar.

Student our bodies have intensified protests over the previous couple of days towards the hike. They additionally alleged overcharging by the shopkeepers on the pupil centre.

According to college students, the speed for an everyday meal for boys was round 34 which was elevated to 40 in the course of the lockdown and its charge has been elevated to 43.50 now. The charge of an everyday meal (mess) has been elevated to 42 (women) and the revised charge of the particular meal (girls and boys) is 48.5 now.

ASA’s Gurdeep, who attended the assembly, mentioned, “They proposed that if the rate is brought down to 41 then 30 diets (meals) will be compulsory and similarly 25 diets (meals) will be made mandatory, if the rate is revised to 42. But we did not accept the proposal.”

The college students reiterated their demand that pre-Covid charges be restored. SFS president Sandeep mentioned, “We proposed to fix the rate of the regular meal at 30 and issue an open tender.” The pupil physique additionally held a protest march on the campus.

PU’s dean pupil welfare (DSW), Jagtar Singh, didn’t touch upon the matter.