CHENNAI: The higher education department is planning to implement uniform fees for courses and a uniform salary structure for teaching and non-teaching staff in all state universities. Officials from the department said that the State Planning Commission has already started work on a detailed study of discrepancies in fee and salary structures in the state universities and a decision will be taken based on the findings.
“We have plans to implement a uniform pay structure and fee structure in state universities. The committee is likely to submit its report within two months following which a decision will be taken on the matter,” said minister K Ponmudy to media persons, after a review meeting with vice-chancellors and registrars of state universities. Issues related to syllabus, fees and financial condition of the state universities were discussed in the meeting.
Higher education officials said some universities hike their fees to deal with their financial problems and subsequently it leads to tension among the students. However, the initiative to implement a uniform fee structure will help deal with these problems.
“It has come to our notice that a lot of discrepancies exist in the salary structure, especially for non-teaching staff, in state universities. In some universities, there is more staff than required. Due to this problem, state universities are struggling financially as they have to spend more money towards salaries and pensions. There is a need to bring uniformity in the salary structure,” said a senior official from the higher education department.
On the issue of ongoing student protests condemning the hiked examination fee at Bharathidasan University, Ponmudy said only the old examination fee will be charged. “Students should give up the protest and concentrate on the exam. Old examination fees will only be charged,” said Ponmudy.
Ponmudy also said that from now on, state universities will have to obtain permission from the secretary of the higher education department before renting out their premises for any event. The move comes after a private organisation awarded fake doctorate degrees to eminent personalities at an event held at Anna University recently.