Karnataka CM Kumaraswamy may take government panel to court over fee hike

BENGALURU: Chief Minister HD Kumaraswamy, who is also heading the higher education portfolio, has put an end to the confusion over the fee structure for undergraduate medical, dental and engineering courses.

After the Common Entrance Test (CET) 2018 results, private professional college managements were confused when they received a report from Fee Regulatory Committee headed by Justice DV Shylendra Kumar fixing the fee with 8% hike on existing fee.

The college managements were irked as they were demanding for up to 50% hike in engineering course fee and, for medical studies, the state government had already agreed to a 10% hike for next three years, starting a year ago.

Kumaraswamy said, “Even we got to know about the report from college managements and government has not received any communication.”Department officials said the committee was supposed to send it to government and not to colleges. “The  committee had sent it to colleges and if needed we will go to  court and get directions in the interest of students,” said the CM.

According to the official sources from the higher education department, the Fee Regulatory Committee does not exist under Karnataka Profession Educational Institutions (Regulation  of Admissions and Determination of of Fee) Act 2006. Under the act, the provision is only for an admission-overseeing committee. “The committee was constituted based on court directions and if needed we will approach the court again,” a senior official said. “When private colleges and state government enter into an agreement over fee structure and seat sharing, what role will the committee be having,” he asked.

Pvt colleges unhappy

The meeting of private engineering college managements held with the Chief Minister on Wednesday was not fruitful, as the college managements demanded a 30% fee hike for UG engineering courses.The CM said, “They are asking for a 30% hike, but we cannot accept it. I have instructed the Principal Secretary of  higher education department to discuss and get back to  me.” Shafi Ahmed, secretary of the Karnataka Religious and Linguistic Minority Professional Colleges Association, KRLMPCA, said, “We are ready even for 15%. But, it is difficult to run the colleges without increasing the fee.”