Tension prevailed at Punjabi University in Patiala on Tuesday night when protesting students clashed with the police during a ‘Jago’ march towards the Vice-Chancellor’s residence over the recent fee hike and other demands.The students had planned the march as part of their eight-day agitation. However, the university administration did not allow them to proceed, following which a heavy police deployment was made on the campus.When the students attempted to move ahead, the police stopped them, leading to a scuffle and pushing and shoving between the two sides.The protesters alleged that the police action was aimed at disrupting their peaceful agitation. The incident occurred near the Vice-Chancellor’s office, where students have been staging a continuous protest against the revised fee structure.The students claimed that fees for various courses and services had been increased by 16 to 102 per cent, while hostel fees had increased by 42 per cent.Though the university administration has proposed a partial reduction in the revised fee structure, the students have rejected it and are demanding a complete rollback of the hike.Construction of four new hostels is another major demand. The students said three hostels were proposed under Central Government schemes and one under a Punjab Government scheme.According to the protesters, two centrally funded hostels were proposed under the Jagjivan Ram scheme, and one was sanctioned under the PM-AJAY scheme. They alleged that the projects had been stalled because the Punjab Government had not released its share of the funds.The students are also demanding a waiver of the university’s debt of around Rs 150 crore by the Punjab Government. They said clearing the debt would improve the university’s financial position and reduce the pressure on students arising from fee increases.The situation on the campus was calm on Wednesday morning. The students are scheduled to hold a meeting in the evening to chalk out their next course of action.They said the agitation would continue until their demands regarding the fee hike, hostel construction and the university’s financial condition were addressed.