COIMBATORE: Students of government arts and science colleges across the state complain that their institution authorities collect as much as Rs 1,500 annually in parent-teacher association (PTA) fees, as against the Rs 160 fixed by the higher education department. They urge the department to take immediate action on the matter.
A third-year student at the Government Arts and Science College in Valparai said that the institution collected `1,000 from her in PTA fee. While she was issued a receipt for the payment made, she questioned the collection of such a high amount. “Even now, some students, particularly girls in Valparai, struggle to pay the fee,” she said.
Enquiries with students and teaching faculty revealed that five other government colleges in Coimbatore and Tiruppur districts too charged Rs 1,000 in annual PTA fee.
SFI district president Paavel K, who had a few weeks ago petitioned the Coimbatore regional joint director of collegiate education seeking action on the matter, said the Government Arts College, Coimbatore, had until last year been collecting Rs 1,000 in PTA fees. From this year, it, however, is collecting Rs 1,500, he added. Condemning this, Paavel said charging such huge amounts burdens students hailing from modest background.
ABVP state secretary S Pannerselvam said that the situation is no different in other government arts colleges in the state. “For instance, the Salem Government Arts College collects Rs 1,500 in PTA fee, the Government Thirumagal Mills College at Gudiyattam in Vellore collects `900, and Thiru A Govindasamy Government Arts College in Villupuram collects `700,” he said.
After backlash, the Kalaignar Karunanidhi Government Arts College in Tiruvannamalai finally this year reduced the PTA fee to Rs 160 from an earlier Rs 1,000, he added.
“Colleges receive several lakhs of rupees every year through the PTA, and principals say they appoint teaching and non-teaching staff using the funds to manage staff shortage. There is no transparency in handling PTA funds—it is misused in some colleges. The government should hence audit PTA accounts in all colleges,” he said. A group of ABVP members had separately met the higher education secretary a few days ago seeking action against charging extra in PTA fees.
The college principals, however, defended the practice. A principal said, “In our college offering 10 courses and with 1,200 students, there are 14 regular staff and 40 guest lecturers. Besides this, a total of 15 teaching staff and one non-teaching staff member were appointed this year for a monthly salary of Rs 8,000 using PTA funds,” he said.
S Suresh, general secretary of the Tamil Nadu Government College Teachers’ Association, said that many posts are still vacant in the state’s 181 government colleges that together cater to about four lakh students. “If the government fills the vacancies, it will not be necessary to collect extra fees,” he said.
When enquired, Minister for Higher Education P Viswanathan expressed ignorance on the matter but promised necessary action.
