Pay youth fest fee or exam results will be withheld: Punjabi varsity to colleges

Punjabi University, in an August 28 communication, has warned its associate colleges that failure to deposit the mandatory entry fee for the Patiala Regional Youth Fair could result in students’ examination results being withheld—a move the colleges are actively contesting.

The communication read that the entry fee payment was mandatory for all institutions regardless of their participation status.

Several colleges have objected to the move and has described it as a ‘threat’.

The colleges are questioning that how students could be held responsible for non-payment of fee by their institutions, arguing that university could impose a fine or take other administrative action against the concerned colleges instead of withholding students’ results.

The issue comes at a time when the varsity is already facing criticism over delay in exams result declaration, hefty fines on students and other issues.

Principal of a Punjabi University affiliated government college has written to the varsity authorities in this regard.

“With due respect, the proposed increase in the youth festival participation fee mentioned in this letter and, more importantly, the decision to withhold students’ examination results in case of non-payment of the fee may ultimately cause hardship to the students. The students should not be made to suffer for any financial or administrative issue,” the letter reads.

It is pertinent to mention that the university has asked the colleges to deposit an entry fee based on their student strength. The colleges having up to 500 students have to pay Rs 12,000, those with up to 1,500 students have to pay Rs 23,000, while colleges having more than 1,500 students have been asked to deposit Rs 35,000.

Dr Bhim Inder Singh, Director, Youth Welfare Department, Punjabi University, who issued the orders, while talking to media, said that the decision was based on a resolution passed by the Syndicate in 2017.