Guwahati:Â A proposed move of Rajiv Gandhi University’s (RGU) Agriculture campus from Doimukh to Kamki has sparked a strong protest from students, who claim the decision was made without their input and without a proper plan for the new site.
In a letter released to the public, an anonymous student voice detailed the many concerns of their peers, calling the move a “hasty” and “irresponsible” act that will jeopardize their education.
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According to the letter, a group of students recently visited the proposed new campus in Kamki, located under the Kamba circle in Aalo, and were shocked by the lack of basic amenities.
The site reportedly has no classrooms, no laboratories, and not even essential facilities like drinking water or toilets. The student expressed that the administration seems more concerned with relocating them than ensuring they have a functional academic environment, stating, “It feels as though students are being treated like cattle to be shifted into an empty shed rather than as learners deserving a proper academic environment.”
The proposed shift comes at a time when RGU agriculture students are already struggling with what they describe as “unjustly high” fees.
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The letter highlights a significant disparity in fee structures compared to other central universities across India.
For the B.Sc. (Agriculture) program, RGU’s fee of Rs. 16,250 is nearly double that of Nagaland University (Rs. 8,640) and Visva-Bharati University (Rs. 8,745), and 1.6 times higher than Banaras Hindu University (Rs. 10,000). The disparity is even more stark at the postgraduate level.
For M.Sc. (Agriculture), RGU charges Rs. 26,000, which is over 2.5 times higher than Nagaland University (Rs. 10,460), more than double the fee at Visva-Bharati University (Rs. 11,525), and almost eight times more than Banaras Hindu University (Rs. 3,331).
For students from poor and rural backgrounds, this fee structure is “nothing short of punishing,” especially given that RGU is the only central university in Arunachal Pradesh.
The anonymous student writer also criticized the university administration for a lack of transparency in the decision-making process. The letter claims the decision to move was made by administrators and Heads of Departments (HoDs) without consulting students or many of the faculty members. The student noted that the site inspection only occurred after the decision had already been made, calling the entire process “careless and irresponsible.”
While students support the growth of agricultural education in the state, they argue that the current plan is not “development” but a “hasty move that puts our education at risk.”
The Rajiv Gandhi University Students’ Union (RGUSU) has sided with the students, demanding that the university prioritize the construction of proper infrastructure at the new site, involve students in the decision-making process, and address the high fee structure. The student writer concluded the letter with a plea to the university’s higher authorities to reconsider the move before it is “too late.”