BENGALURU: The Department of Collegiate Education has asked the private aided colleges in the state to pay back the excess fee collected from students to the department. It has also asked the colleges to pay 10 per cent annual interest.As per the department’s estimation, the colleges have to pay back around `130 crore collected towards tuition and laboratory fees. The department issued a circular on Monday in this regard. “Majority of the private colleges which get grants from the government have not paid back the excess fee collected from students between 2004 and 2014. Despite several reminders and notices, most of them have not responded. This is a final call for such colleges to pay back the money,” a senior official of the department said.
The department also asked principals of the colleges concerned to deposit the amount in four instalments into the joint account opened with the department. Failing this, the department will ask the government for permanent withdrawal of the grant provided to the college.
What the rule says
According to a 1997 rule, the aided colleges are allowed to collect double the tuition and laboratory fee, but of the two, they have to pay one portion to the government. However, majority of the colleges have not done so. As the colleges get grants towards salaries from government for the teaching staff, the excess fee has to be paid to the department.