CHENNAI: The Consortium of Self-Financing Professional, Arts and Science Colleges is set to meet the committee on fixation of fees for self-financing professional colleges on May 6, to discuss its demand for revision of fees. The consortium claims that in the last seven years, there has been no fee hike due to which the majority of the private engineering colleges in the state have sustained severe losses and are struggling for survival.
P Selvaraj, secretary of the consortium, said the Covid period was a tough time for engineering colleges. The colleges had to upgrade infrastructure and spend on installation of computers and software to make learning from homes a hassle-free affair for students. Adding to it, many colleges reported a drop in enrolment of students since Covid, due to which income of the institutions have been affected.
“After Covid, things are in bad shape with the engineering colleges. With low enrolment, no fee hike for years, the colleges are struggling to manage their expenses. We have appealed before the committee to allow us to hike fees in both management and government quota seats,” said Selvaraj.
The consortium is demanding a fee hike by 25%. “We have already apprised the committee about our demand and the committee will meet us on May 6 to discuss the issue,” he added.
The Tamil Nadu government, based on the direction of the Supreme Court, has constituted the committee on fixation of fee in respect of self-financing professional colleges headed by Justice R Pongiappan.
“Even after Covid, the expenditure has increased significantly in comparison to our income, hence we urgently need to revise the fees. Autonomous colleges and universities are utilising the opportunity to lure students by promising better facilities as they have financial autonomy,” principal of a private engineering college said.