On Wednesday, police detained members of various student organizations, including the All India Students’ Association (AISA), National Students’ Union of India (NSUI), and Samajwadi Chhatra Sabha (SCS), at the University of Lucknow, Uttar Pradesh, India, ahead of a planned protest against steep fee hikes. The students alleged that the administration's actions were aimed at stifling opposition to rising education costs and the increasing commercialization of education through self-financed courses. Protesters claimed that fees for several programs had surged between 40% and 200%, making education less accessible, particularly for marginalized groups such as Dalit, Bahujan, Adivasi, and first-generation learners. After their detention, student leaders met with local legislator Devendra Pratap Singh to discuss the fee hikes and irregularities in fee collection. Singh later contacted the university's vice-chancellor, J P Saini, regarding the students' concerns. The student organizations criticized the administration for prioritizing repression over dialogue, arguing that the situation at Lucknow University reflects a broader national trend towards privatizing education, which they believe undermines public access to learning.