Cuttack: A section of Ravenshaw University students erupted in protest following the authority's decision to hike fees for self-financed courses.

The varsity increased the annual fees for the courses ranging from 14 per cent to 60 per cent, claiming that it was facing a cash crunch.

The fees have been hiked by Rs 5,000 a year for five of seven self-financed courses. For the other two courses, the fees have hiked by Rs 15,000 and Rs 17,000, respectively.

Vice-chancellor Ishan Patro said: "The decision was taken after weighing the viability of running these courses at the existing structure."

The university had started these courses on public-private-partnership (PPP) mode through MoUs with service providers. But it discontinued the practice in 2014 to adhere to University Grants Commission norms.

The fees for BSc and MSc in information technology and management have been hiked by Rs 5,000 each to Rs 35,000 and Rs 40,000, respectively.

While the fee for BSc computer science has been raised from Rs 20,000 to Rs 25,000, an MA degree in journalism and mass communication will cost Rs 30,000, up from Rs 25,000.

The fees for masters in computer application and MCom in entrepreneurship have been hiked to Rs 35,000 and Rs 40,000, respectively.

The fee for the two-year MBA course has gone up from Rs 3, 25,000 to Rs 3,42,000.

The hike evoked strong reaction from Ravenshaw Bikash Abhijan, a group of socio-political activists and former student leaders.

Its president Chittaranjan Mohanty said: "We are aware of the government's apathetic attitude in providing funds for the university. But the fee hike is not a solution to address the problem encountered in running the institution."

"The varsity should adopt policies of foreign universities and try to generate funds from influential alumni."

The Ravenshaw University Committee of the All-India Democratic Students' Organisation staged a protest against the hike in front of the Patro's office on Wednesday.