FAISALABAD, Oct 22: Government College University Faisalabad students boycotted their classes and staged a demonstration and a sit-in outside the vice-chancellor office in protest against a surge in fee and lack of classrooms on Wednesday.

Students demanded withdrawal of new fee structure approved recently by the management under which a student will have to pay extra Rs700 to Rs1,000 more per semester.

Students besieged the vice-chancellor’s office and demanded Vice-Chancellor Dr Arif Ali Zaidi address the protesters and announce withdrawal of increase in fees.

Dr Zaidi, addressing the protesters, said students should make a delegation to discuss the issue as a strike and classes’ boycott were not a solution to the problem.

Earlier, he said sensing the financial problems of students, the university had extended date for fee submission. The administration was ready to hear the students but peacefully, he added. He asked the students to go back to their classes and resume their studies, but to no avail. The students rejected the VC’s request and demanded immediate resolution of their problems.

A group of BSc commerce, 6th semester, students told reporters they had been protesting for days over the lack of classrooms but the administration was least bothered to heed their demands.

Faheem Ahmed said students of BSc commerce had been running from pillar to post for classrooms, but all in vain. He said a couple of days ago the administration shifted students to rooms meant for MCom classes, however, these rooms were also withdrawn later.

He said students would continue their protest if problems were not resolved right away.