IK Gujral Punjab Technical University in Jalandhar doubles university fee, affiliated colleges unhappy

Deepkamal Kaur

Jalandhar, May 26

Managements of over 250 colleges affiliated with IK Gujral Punjab Technical University are peeved over the fact that the varsity has doubled the university fee component of the total fee to be levied from the students of BTech, BBA, BCA and other courses while making only 4 to 10 per cent increase in the college fee part.

The counselling process for all courses has already been started by the university. Registration and choice filling for BTech courses started on May 24 and will continue till May 31. A notification regarding the revised fee structure was issued by the university on May 21 and ever since the authorities are under continuous pressure from the college managements to reconsider the decision in the interest of the colleges too.

Sharing details of the same, director of a college in Jalandhar said, “The total university fee for a BTech course for four years was Rs 16,000 till last year which had now been increased to 34,500 and is thus more than double the previous amount. On the contrary, the college fee component was Rs 3,08,800 (for four years) which has not been increased to Rs 3,42,600 and is a 10.6 per cent increase.”

Likewise, BBA/BCA university fee was Rs 11,250 (for three years) till last year and has now increased to Rs 26,000. But the college fee which was 1,25,100 (for all three years) has gone up by only 4.1 per cent, a college owner said, adding that they were expecting a bigger push in this UGC-approved course than in BTech this time. The colleges also rue that this was the only increase in the college fee structure that had happened since 2011.

Dr Anshu Kataria, president, Punjab Unaided Colleges Association, said, “It is unfair that the IKGPTU has doubled the fees which it shall charge from the students but the tuition fees which the colleges will take from students has been marginal increased by just 10 per cent. Since the last one decade, the tuition fee has not been increased. On the other hand, many states, including Kerala, have increased the tuition fees. The colleges’ expenses have also doubled in the last 10-15 years. So, college tuition fees should also be increased on the same pattern.”

University Vice Chancellor Dr Susheel Mittal said, “We can increase the university fee component but the decision on college fee component is taken by Director, Technical Education. We had moved a proposal to them two-three months back. It is not in our control. Owing to increase in expenditure of the university on account of salaries and other heads, we have been facing Rs 25 crore deficit every year. We need to bring it back in a financially healthy condition. We have made only a judicious increase in the fee and far below the amount levied by the private colleges.”