KFRC to fix fees only for private seats

Bengaluru: Clearing the confusion regarding fixing of fee structures at professional colleges in the state, Karnataka Fee Regulatory Committee (KFRC) Chairman Justice D.V. Shylendra Kumar said his committee was concerned only with the fee for private seats in private colleges.

“The committee’s recommendations are not concerned with fee fixation for students selected for government seat quota, for which the government will have a final say,” he said.

While interacting with mediapersons at Karnataka Examinations Authority (KEA) headquarters, he elaborated on process they followed to fix the fee slabs.

“Institutions that have submitted proper audit reports were considered and allowed to hike their fee. However, most medical and dental colleges submitted distorted figures. Such institutions were told to follow the fee structure according to their consensual agreement with the state government last year and were not allowed to hike fee this year,” he added.

Notice to 2 engg colleges
The KEA Admission Overseeing Committee (AOC) has decided to serve notices to two private engineering colleges in the city following complaints that they were collecting excess amounts than prescribed by the committee.

Confirming the same, B. Manohar, chairman of the Committee, said the complaints against T. John Institute of Technology and Reva Institute of Technology and Managament mentioned that excess amounts ranging from Rs 35,000 to Rs 40,000 were demanded.

Deemed-to-be-universities
KFRC has said that all professional courses run at deemed-to-be universities in the state are expected to abide by the same fee structure fixed for their other private counterparts in the state. He clarified that they also fall under the purview of the state government.

This stance has, however, been challenged by the managements of such institutions. They point out that they are exempted from the Act.

“Deemed varsities are directly affiliated only to the University Grants Commission (UGC) and not the state. The KFRC intervening in our autonomy is an issue of concern and we have written about this to the UGC,” said a board member of a deemed-to-be-university on condition of anonymity.