AICTE seeks fee details from colleges

The All India Council for Technical Education (AICTE) has written to 33 self-financing engineering colleges in Tamil Nadu, asking them to provide details of their fee structure to ascertain whether they are demanding more than the prescribed amount, as alleged by the State government.
“We have asked for clarifications,” said AICTE member secretary Narayana Rao. “We wrote to them last week, and have given them 15 days to get back to us with an explanation.”
As per the Raman Committee’s recommendations, the fee for non-accredited courses is Rs. 32,000 and for accredited courses Rs. 40,000. According to the State government investigation conducted earlier this year, many colleges have collected amounts varying from Rs. 4,000 to above Rs. 10,000 over the stipulated amount.
The government had contacted the AICTE with its complaints, asking the apex body to derecognise defaulting institutions.
However, Dr. Rao said it had not provided sufficient details. “What they have written is the lump sum...they have not given any break-up,” he said.
He said some of the colleges had responded to the AICTE, saying that they were charging the correct amount as tuition fee.
The extra charges were for other expenditure, such as bus, mess or laundry services, they said.
A spokesperson for one of the listed colleges confirmed this. “We are charging only Rs. 40,000,” he said. “Bus fees are Rs 12,000 and they are not compulsory. Similarly, mess fees are only for those who stay in the hostel,” he said.
Another college said that students admitted in the current academic year were being charged the correct fee. “This year, that is 2007-08, the government asked us not to collect extra and we did not collect from this batch onwards,” said a college representative, adding that government inspectors would have spoken to senior students, who were being charged Rs 50,000, rather than freshers, who were being charged only Rs 32,000.
“We have received the AICTE notice and we will explain to them,” the representative said.
State Higher Education Secretary K. Ganesan said this explanation would not hold water. Whether for first year students or senior students, the fees should be not more than the stipulated amount, he said.
The government had identified the defaulting colleges based on receipts given to students, said Mr. Ganesan. “This may be an afterthought by the management,” he said, referring to the explanations offered by some colleges. “They can now say it is for bus or afternoon meals or whatever. Any explanation can be given,” he said.