HYDERABAD: Several parameters regarding fee fixation such as including scrutiny of colleges’ fee structures, rankings, quality of education, and internal quality assurance systems in private professional colleges were discussed during the eight-day personal hearing organised by the Telangana Admission and Fee Regulation Committee (TAFRC).
At the meeting, the managements of private unaided professional colleges urged the committee to fix the tuition fee structure based on recurring and non-recurring expenditure.
The hearings, which began on August 25, were concluded on Wednesday. Around 160 private unaided professional colleges from across the state met the committee to discuss several issues. Many sought approval for fee increases, while others pressed for release of pending fee reimbursement dues, stating that colleges are facing hardships.
They also requested that fee fixation consider recurring expenditure such as ongoing, periodic costs such as tuition, housing, and meal plans as well as non-recurring expenditure, which includes one-time or infrequent expenses like application fees, lab equipment purchases, or a one-time hostel security deposit.
For fixing fees in private unaided professional colleges, a 10-member expert committee was constituted under the chairmanship of TGCHE chairman Prof V Balakista Reddy.
The committee was tasked with revising parameters for fee fixation after the state fee regulatory body observed that the current proposals for the 2025–28 block period deviated from legal guidelines. It was asked to submit a detailed report within six weeks.
In line with government directions, TAFRC introduced new parameters, including scrutiny of colleges’ fee structures, institutional rankings, quality of education, and more.
Speaking to TNIE, Prof Balakista Reddy said, “To bring more clarity and also to take notarised affidavits from private college officials, an eight-day personal hearing was organised. In my committee, we have suggested several parameters.
Fee fixation should not be based only on income-expenditure assessments but also consider best academic practices, rankings, good placements, innovation, and more.
During the hearings, we reviewed the current procedures being followed, and a common plea from managements was for the release of pending fee reimbursement dues, which have become a challenge for them. Once clarity is achieved, a detailed report will be submitted to the state government, which may take a few months.”
Dr Ramesh Babu, chairman of the Federation of Association of Telangana Higher Institutions (FATHI), added that, the association urged TAFRC not to fix fees on a single agenda but to base them on both recurring and non-recurring expenditures of the colleges.