BENGALURU: While private engineering colleges have reportedly sought a 30 per cent hike in fees from this year, the department is yet to take a decision and finalise the same. However, this has made students unhappy.
A top source from the higher education department said that it has been a while since engineering colleges were allowed to hike their fees. The last reported hike was in 2019. However, the demands were made many months ago and a decision is yet to be taken on the same. “A meeting is planned by the second week of September, and based on consensus, the hike in fee will be decided,” the source added.
Meanwhile, students under the aegis of All India Democratic Students’ Organisation (AIDSO), have opposed any proposal to increase fees for engineering courses. Drawing from a report, students said the government is planning to increase the engineering course fee by 10 per cent, complying with the demand of “profit-minded private management lobby.”
They said that despite collecting full fees from students, the private management lobby failed to pay salaries to lecturers and staff and some received just 30 per cent of their wages. Contradicting the education department’s claims, students said that fee was hiked by 10 per cent a year ago.
In addition to this, they said that the lockdown and its aftermath has made engineering and medical education more expensive and exclusive only for the privileged, further alienating poor and middle class aspirants.