TNN,
Pune Edition, 04th Aug 2008
Shikshan Shulka Samiti Clarifies Position On City College’s
Query
Pune:
In a latest directive, the state-appointed Shikshan Shulka
Samiti (fee-fixation panel) has clarified that the final
fee declared for a given academic year (AY) of a professional
course would be applicable for the entire duration of that
course.
For instance, if the fee of a particular engineering college
has been finalised at Rs 59,000 p.a. for AY 2007-08 then
the same will remain effective for the four-year duration
of the course for students admitted by that college in 2007-08.
The fee panel has been stressing this aspect in successive
orders since March to ensure that there is no dispute over
refund or fee readjustments between students and colleges.
What spurred the latest directive (issued on August 2) was
a couple of letters, written as long back as in January,
by the Pune-based Vishwakarma Institute of Information Technology
(VIIT) and the Yashwantrao Chavan College of Engineering,
Nagpur, regarding applicability of the final fee order for
AY in 2006-07.
“There was some confusion over how the fee was to
be charged, which prompted us to seek the clarification,”
VIIT principal A.S. Tavildar told TOI on Sunday.
In AY 2006-07 and 2007-08, the panel had allowed private,
unaided engineering colleges to effect a 7.5 per cent hike
over the final fee for the previous years i.e. 2005-06 and
2006-07, respectively. The differential amount arising out
of the final fee set for each institution, was to be recovered
or refunded as per the order.
Tavildar said, the fee panel officials had orally informed
the institute, some three months back, about the panel’s
position vis-à-vis AY 2006-07. “We had requested
them to explain the position in writing, which the panel
appears to have done now,” he said. “We (VIIT)
have already refunded the excess money that was collected
from students, following the panel officials’ oral
explanation,” he added.
As it has been a trend for the last three years, annual
proposals by colleges for revision of fees are expected
to reach the panel by July. The panel is expected to take
another three to four months for consideration and finalising
the revised fee. In between, it issues directives to colleges
to charge an ad hoc or interim fee, which is later adjusted
as per the final fee order.
“However, this process never works along the expected
lines and the final fee orders invariably get delayed owing
to varied reasons,” said an office-bearer of the Association
of Management of Private Unaided Engineering Colleges (AMPUEC)
in Maharashtra, which has over 125 colleges under its belt.
“Looking at the workload of scrutinising proposals
by various professional institutions (engineering, health
sciences, management, hotel management, architecture etc.),
the panel’s existing machinery requires a radical
change and strengthening,” he said.
“Till as late as July 24, the fee panel was issuing
final orders for AY 2007-08 whereas we have moved into AY
2008-09,” he pointed out. For a change, this year
the panel has asked colleges to charge only 80 per cent
of the 2007-08 final fee till such time when their proposals
for 2008-09 are settled.
