M A I N   N E W S

Hike in college fee on cards
By Varinder Walia
Tribune News Service

AMRITSAR, Feb 10 — The sub-committee constituted by the state Council for Higher Education has recommended a five-fold hike in admission fee and doubling of tuition fee in all colleges of the state.

The recommendations, if implemented, will help the colleges overcame their financial crunch. However, the students unions are likely to raise a banner of revolt against the proposals.

The proposed fee structure will be implemented from the next academic session.

The recommendations have been made by the sub-committee which was headed by Dr Jasbir Singh Ahluwalia, Vice-Chancellor, Punjabi University, Patiala. Though Dr Ahluwalia could not preside over its meeting, yet the proceedings which recommended the fee hike were signed by him (Dr Ahluwalia).

According to insiders, the recommendations are based on the report of the Dr Soch committee which had suggested ways and means to improve the financial health of government colleges.

As per the proceedings, the tuition fee in private and government colleges will be Rs 125 per month from the coming academic session. This fee was Rs 57 per month in Panjab University, Chandigarh, Rs 30 each in Punjabi Dev University, Patiala, and Guru Nanak Dev University. The admission fee will be hiked from Rs 50 to Rs 250.

It may be mentioned here that Master Mohal Lal, Minister Higher Education, has repeatedly claimed that the state will not hike fee in colleges.

Apart from the Dean, Academic Affairs, who presided over the meeting in the absence of Dr Ahluwalia, the two Deans, Academic Affairs, of other universities did not participate. Among those who attended the meeting were Director, Public Instructions, Punjab, Deans College Development Council, Guru Nanak Dev University, Panjab University and Punjabi University, Patiala, and Registrar, Punjabi University.

In yet another significant recommendation, the universities will be authorised to fix funds to be collected from students of affiliated colleges.

The proposed hike in the admission and tuition fees would be applicable on fresh college entrants. Old students would continue to pay on the basis of the old fee structure.

The Association of Private Principals had assured the sub-committee that the students would be able to bear the hike if the state government continued to give 95 per cent grant-in-aid to them.