PU Senate stamp on exam fee hike

Tribune News Service

Chandigarh, July 24

Now, students of Panjab University (PU) and its 192 affiliated colleges will have to shell out more money.

The PU Senate today approved the Syndicate proposal for increasing the examination fee.

After lengthy discussions, the Senate approved the proposal for increasing the examination fee to narrow down the budget deficit of the university. Though some Senate members expressed dissent on the issue, it was approved by the House.

At the outset, PU Vice-Chancellor Arun Kumar Grover informed the Senate members about the pressing situation in which the university was compelled to increase the examination fee. He referred to the glorious history of the PU and its development into a university of national prominence. He described the PU as a people’s university, which was formed through public support and contribution.

The Senate members suggested other ways for increasing the income of the university. It was also decided that a corpus would be created from the donations of teachers, employees and the alumni for helping students of economically weaker sections.

Revised fee structure

The examination fee structure of BA, BA (Hons), BSc, BCom, BCom (Hons), BBA, BCA, BPEd and BEd has been increased from the existing slab of Rs 1,300-Rs 2,500 to Rs 2,500 in the annual system and the semester system. The Environment Education exam fee has been increased from the Rs 300-500 slab to Rs 500 per semester. The examination fee of BSc (Hospitality and Hotel Administration) and BSc (Fashion Designing) has been increased from Rs 2,970 to Rs 3,000 per semester. The examination fee of MA/MSc (Hons School)/all diploma courses, five-year Integrated Course in Economics, Master’s in Police Administration, PG diploma (all streams), MCom, MCom (Hons)/MSc (TYC), MCA (except sixth semester), MSc (Statistics), MSc (System Biology and Bio-informatics) and MFC (USOL) has been increased from Rs 1,400-Rs 2,530 to Rs 2,500 in the semester system. The examination fee of MA/MCom/MSc has been increased from the existing fee structure of Rs 1,400-Rs 2,400 to Rs 2,500 in the annual system. Similarly, the examination fee of various professional courses has also been increased.

BoF to meet on August 1  

The VC informed the Senate that the university Board of Finance meeting was scheduled for August 1. He said measures needed to be taken to overcome the financial crisis in the university before September 30.

Students hold protest

Even before the Senate meeting to approve the hike in the examination fee of the PU and affiliated colleges started, students gathered outside the administrative block. Despite Sunday being a holiday, a large number of students, belonging to SOI, the SFS, the ABVP and other  bodies, held a protest rally against the decision. Amid the din of slogans, the protesters even tried to reach the Senate Hall. However, the security staff of the PU and the police did not let the students reach the main gate.