New Delhi, February 26: The Tata Institute of Social Sciences students and alumni today staged a demonstration near the Human Resource Development Ministry against the withdrawal of scholarships for SC and ST scholars. The students of all the campuses of the institute have been protesting since February 21 against the administration demanding tuition, dining hall and hostel fees for scholarship students.

They have been protesting against the withdrawal of financial aid given to Scheduled Castes and Scheduled Tribes (SC/ST) scholars. Over 30 students along with their counterparts in Delhi colleges and universities today demanded not to burden the students through fee hike and fund cuts. One of the alumni, who requested anonymity, said the fees per semester had surged over 100 percent in just two years and the students were forced to become indebted to the banks through loans.

"We appeal to you to immediately roll back withdrawal of Centre's Post Matric Scholarship (GOI-PMS) in TISS and reinstate all financial assistance that was earlier available," a memorandum that the students intended to submit to Union MHRD Minister Prakash Javdekar said. TISS Students Union President Archana Soreng had said, "All talks and mediation with the administration over past many months have failed."