BENGALURU: The fee regulatory committee headed by Justice D V Shylendra Kumar has issued notices to deemed-to-be universities and private varsities in the state for allegedly violating the fee structure fixed by it.As per information provided by the committee, notices have been served to all 15 deemed-to-be universities and private universities that offer professional courses in the state. “According to us, even deemed-to-be universities and private varsities come under the Karnataka Professional Education Institutions (Regulation of Admission and Determination of Fee) Act-2006. Considering this, we have issued them notices and most of them are yet to reply,” Justice Shylendra Kumar said.
The committee said majority of the deemed-to-be universities and private varsities did not submit the details of their accounts and balance sheet. “Therefore, we have fixed the fee increasing it by 8% on the fee they collected during the previous year,” he said. The committee has not even given 8% hike to those who have not submitted their accounts and balance sheet before them. The committee has fixed `6.32 lakh cap for medical seats at deemed-to-be and private universities. “There are institutions which have asked for `9 -`10 lakh fee,” he said.
Authorities of deemed-to-be and private universities say they come directly under UGC and they have nothing to do with the state or the committee. “We expressed this even in the hearing called by the committee,” said a management representative of a deemed-to-be university.
Dr S Kumar, secretary, Consortium of Deemed Universities in Karnataka, said, “ The matter is in court and commenting on it will be sub-judice. Communication from the committee came to us after completion of first round of seat allotment ... let the court decide whether the committee has powers to fix the fee or not.”
Notice to 2 colleges
The Admission Overseeing Committee headed by Justice B Manohar has issued notices to two engineering colleges for charging excess fee from students. “We have received complaints against two institutes about charging excess fee up to `55,000,” he said.
Committee may fix fee for government colleges
The Fee Regulatory Committee is also thinking of constituting a sub-committee to fix fee for government-run professional colleges for the next academic year. Currently, the fee for these institutions is being fixed at the government-level.