Technical education secretary calls meet as PTU doubles exam fee

The Punjab Government has intervened in the issue of the recent doubling of the examination fee of affiliated colleges by the IK Gujral Punjab Technical University (IKGPTU) without approval of the state-level committee on fee hike. The committee is headed by the Chief Secretary.

Apart from the protest by the affiliated colleges, the hike in fee has affected the admission of lakhs of SC students as the admission portal of the Department of Social Justice and Empowerment was not accepting the increased fee structure under the SC post-matric scholarship scheme.

The fee component of SC students is reimbursed by the Union Ministry of Social Justice and Empowerment and the state in 60:40 ratio under the scholarship scheme.

Minister of Social Justice and Empowerment Dr Baljeet Kaur is learnt to have written a demo official letter to Chief Secretary KAP Sinha, seeking clarification on the hike without taking the department in the loop.

Since the issue of SC students could snowball into a major controversy, the government has intervened in the matter. Sources said the Secretary, Technical Education and Industrial Training, has called a meeting on the issue. As per the standard practice, the decision to hike fee of SC students is taken by the government. Last time the fee was hiked during the term of the SAD-BJP government in 2013.

Meanwhile, the affected students have moved the Punjab and Haryana High Court.