The Karnataka government has landed in an uncomfortable position. In its attempt to crack down on colleges that are overcharging students, it will have to take on politicians, including leaders of the ruling Congress party, who own these colleges. There are at least nine private engineering colleges owned by or associated with politicians that have charged students admitted under the Common Entrance Test quota anywhere between Rs 9,700 and Rs 27,000 over and above the fee prescribed by the Karnataka Examinations Authority (KEA).
According to information available on the websites of the Directorate of Technical Education (DTE) and respective colleges, students have been charged extra for facilities like e-learning, library, lab upgrade, campus maintenance, bulletin activities, contingency and overheads among others. The government has said colleges can make these facilities optional, without forcing students to pay for them.
The government has maintained that admissions made by colleges that have overcharged students would not be approved. “If admissions are not approved, students will be affected only during exams as they will not receive their hall tickets,” said HU Talawar, director, DTE. The fee prescribed by KEA for engineering and architecture courses is Rs 36,090 or Rs 41,590, plus Visvesvaraya Technological University fee. The government had also asked colleges to furnish details of fee charged from students before August 15, but as on first week of September, only 104 out of 194 engineering colleges in Karnataka have made this information public.
For instance, Bapuji Institute of Engineering and Technology, Davangere, has charged students Rs 20,000 as extra fee. Minister for Horticulture and Agro Marketing, Shamanur Shivashankarappa, is the honorary secretary of the trust that runs this college. Global Academy of Technology, Rajarajeshwarinagar, has charged students Rs 19,800. Congress MLA DK Shivakumar is the chairman of the National Education Foundation that runs the college. Vidya Vikas Institute of Engineering and Technology, Mysore, chaired by Congress’ Chamaraja MLA P Vasu, has charged students Rs 20,710.
When pointed out that five of these colleges were run by members and leaders of the Karnataka Pradesh Congress Committee, a visibly uncomfortable RV Deshpande, Minister for Higher Education, was unable to provide a concrete answer. “All issues concerning extra fee will be looked into by the one-man committee headed by former Karnataka University vice-chancellor S K Saidapur,” Deshpande said.
The one-man committee has received more than 130 complaints from students and parents over this issue. In some cases, students were reimbursed. “I was asked to pay Rs 15,000 for pre-placement training. I approached the one-man committee, which intervened and ensured that I got it back. But I decided to pay Rs 10,000 as I need services like internet, library and laboratory,” said an engineering college student in Mangalore.
Other institutions to have come under the scanner include RL Jalappa Institute of Technology, Bangalore, Dayanand Sagar College of Engineering, Bangalore, and PES Institute of Technology, Bangalore.
(sharadha.k@newindianexpress.com)