BENGALURU: The Higher Education Department has accepted an expert committee report to introduce a uniform fee structure for all 32 state-run universities. The report has fixed a fee matrix for undergraduate and postgraduate courses in the state for applications, tuition, exams and remuneration for invigilators and evaluators.
However, the student community is not pleased with the findings of the report as it does not include professional courses. They said the optional 10-20 per cent fee increase annually will make no difference in two years, affecting poor students in a big way.
The report by the Karnataka Higher Education Council (KHEC), led by Vice-Chairman Dr YS Siddegowda, suggested that universities can implement the new fee structure from any academic year. Universities can hike fees by 10 per cent per annum, or 20-25 per cent every two years. The suggestion was accepted by the government on October 16, 2023.
However, the suggestions do not apply to universities teaching professional courses such as Rajiv Gandhi University of Health Sciences (RGUHS), University of Agricultural Sciences and Visvesvaraya Technological University (VTU) which has ikred students.
“If the new fee structure is implemented, the degree fees of government universities will reach the level of private degree colleges within two years,” said Mahantesh Bilur, Secretary, All India Democratic Students Organisation (AIDSO).
He added that many universities are increasing the fees on the pretext of lack of funding, which leads to huge fee differences between government colleges and government universities. “The government should implement the same fee scale for government degree colleges and universities. Only then the poor students can study at universities set up for their welfare.”