COIMBATORE: The application fees for the Tamil Nadu State Eligibility Test (TNSET) this year have gone up steeply by about 65%, annoying aspirants for faculty positions in state universities.
Manonmaniam Sundaranar University (MSU), which is the State Nodal Agency for the test, had released the notification a few days ago.
The application fee was Rs 1,500 for the general category, Rs 1,250 for BC/MBV/DNC and Rs 500 for SC/ST/SC (A)/PWD when TNSET 2023 was conducted by the Mother Teresa University, said sources.
“Now the fee has increased by almost 65% for all categories. The fee is Rs 2,500 for the general category, Rs 2,000 for the BC/MBV/DNC and Rs 800 for SC/ST/SC (A)/PWD. Fee exemption has been given to the transgender people this time,” sources said.
More than one-and-a-half lakh candidates are expected to apply for TNSET this year, added sources.
The test determines the eligibility for the post of Assistant Professor in TN universities and colleges.
One of the candidates C Revathi at Radhapuram of Tirunelveli told TNIE, “When the notification was released on March 20, we were shocked to see the spurt in the application fee. Candidates from rural areas who earn a living with low salaries will be hard hit. Considering my family’s poor finances, I don’t think I will be able to apply for the test by paying Rs 2,000.”
Another candidate, P Jothimani of Karamadai in Coimbatore, told TNIE, “The University Grants Commission (UGC) conducts the National Eligibility Test (NET) twice a year to determine the eligibility for assistant professor. But candidates who do not have a PhD would like to appear for the TNSET as there will be no negative marks for its Science and Mathematics papers.”
He added that the NET fee is at Rs 1,150 for general/unreserved, Rs 600 for General- EWS/OBC- NCL and Rs 325 for SC/ST/PwD and transgender people. But the nodal agency has increased the fee up to three times. “Now, many candidates have to think twice before applying for TNSET. The nodal agency should withdraw the hike,” he demanded.
Another candidate, PM Ponnusamy in Erode said that on March 14, the Teachers Recruitment Board (TRB) released a notification to fill up around 4,000 assistant professors. “If the nodal agency had conducted the TNSET earlier, many candidates would have got a chance to attend the TRB exam. This indicates the lack of planning of the officials,” he alleged.
The NET/SLET Association slammed the nodal agency for increasing fees and asked the state government to do away with the test altogether.
Association advisor S Swaminathan told TNIE, “TNSET is unnecessary as NET is held twice a year. One can join as an assistant professor anywhere in India by clearing the NET. Those who clear the TNSET can only join TN institutions.” He also alleged the higher education department sees TNSET as a way to earn profit.
When asked about the fee hike, MSU Registrar J Sacratees told TNIE, “The exam was conducted offline in 2018 and this year it will be online. We have to set up the centre region-wise and questions will be framed by forming a committee. So, expenditures will be high. Thus, the high-level monitoring committee for the exam has increased the fee.”