Excess fee: Barred from exam, girl attempts suicide in Chennai

After enrolment, she had paid Rs 28,000 as fee in first year and Rs 27,000 in second year. The college demanded Rs 30,000 in the third year.
Despite the intervention of Directorate of Collegiate Education (DCE), the college refused to issue her hall ticket, said her mother D Lakshmi.
Despite the intervention of Directorate of Collegiate Education (DCE), the college refused to issue her hall ticket, said her mother D Lakshmi. (Express Illustration)
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CHENNAI: A 19-year-old third-year BA Economics student of Guru Nanak College, a government-aided college in Velachery, attempted suicide after she was barred from writing exam on Monday for refusing to pay the semester fee, which was more than what was fixed by the government.

The student had also filed a case against the college, which is pending in the Madras HC. Despite the intervention of Directorate of Collegiate Education (DCE), the college refused to issue her hall ticket, said her mother D Lakshmi.

After enrolment, she had paid Rs 28,000 as fee in first year and Rs 27,000 in second year. The college demanded Rs 30,000 in the third year. However, the government-stipulated fee is around Rs 800 for first year and Rs 300 each for the subsequent years, as per a communique from the college to the DCE in 2018.

‘Action against college only after talks with higher edu officials’

DCE sources said the government-stipulated fee has remained unchanged since 2018. Since the college refused to issue hall ticket for writing her exam, the student wrote to the Higher Education Secretary and the DCE, seeking intervention.

On Monday, when exams were held, DCE officials and police visited the college to negotiate with administration. But college authorities didn’t relent. Upset over not being allowed to write the exam, she consumed poison near the college. She is currently in ICU and her condition is stable, her mother said.

“When the directorate officials negotiated, the college said that they could provide a scholarship to cover her fee. I told them we had paid the government-stipulated amount. There are more students who were barred from exams because they couldn’t pay the exorbitant fee demanded by the college,” said Lakshmi.

She said her daughter ranked among the top three students in her class. It’s noteworthy that the student’s elder sister, who was also a student of the college, faced a similar issue and approached the Madras HC after completing her course.

As per the court order in 2023, DCE officials inquired and confirmed that the college was collecting excess fee. When contacted, DCE officials said they are talking with the college to resolve the issue amicably. An official decision on action against the college can be taken only after discussion with senior officials in the higher education department.

College principal TK Avvai Kothai said students are informed about the fee before enrolment. She said the college is ready to offer full scholarship if the student gives in writing that she is not able to pay the fee.

(Assistance for those having suicidal thoughts is available on TN’s health helpline 104 and Sneha’s suicide prevention helpline 044-24640050)

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