E-Paper
PU syndicate nod to fee hike in 2023-24 session
The Panjab University syndicate has approved a fee hike of 15% for select departments and a 7.5% increase for self-financed courses for the 2023-2024 academic session. The fee hike is expected to increase the varsity's annual revenue by over ?1 crore. The fee structure for ongoing students will also see a 5% enhancement. The decision will now be forwarded to the PU senate for final approval. Student union leaders have opposed the move, citing the financial burden on middle-class families.
The Panjab University (PU) syndicate on Saturday okayed the fee hike proposed by a varsity panel for the 2023-2024 academic session.
The panel, constituted by the vice-chancellor, had recommended the hike, the second in as many years, for new admissions in the upcoming academic session at all teaching departments of the varsity, which is expected to enhance its annual revenue by over ₹1 crore.
As confirmed by different members of the syndicate, all 32 agenda items taken up for consideration as per the agenda of the meeting were passed without any changes. All syndicate approvals will go to the PU senate for final nod. It is set to meet on June 3.
As per the panel’s recommendations, fee structure of University Business School, University Institute of Pharmaceutical Studies, Dr SS Bhatnagar University Institute of Chemical Engineering and Technology and department of laws is proposed to be hiked by 15%. From the next year onwards, the annual hike of 5% should be rounded off to the next hundred.
On top of this, ₹10,000 per year on account of infrastructure/lab development fee is also proposed to be charged from each student admitted afresh from the 2023-2024 academic session.
The panel has suggested a 7.5% increase for self-financed courses, with a cap of ₹7,500, and a ₹1,000 hike ( ₹500 hike in fee and ₹500 development fund) for traditional courses. Self-financed courses are run on the fee collected from students and hence have a higher fee structure. Also, there will be a 5% hike in tuition fee in the subsequent years. Moreover, a 5% enhancement has been recommended for students of ongoing batches as well.
Before the 2022-23 session, the varsity had last increased the fee in 2019-20. Thereon, though a 7.5% fee hike for self-financed courses and 5% for traditional courses for new entrants in the 2020-21 academic session was proposed, the PU syndicate in May 2020 had decided to defer it indefinitely in the wake of the Covid-19 pandemic’s outbreak.
Fee hikes over the past years have never gone down well with students. In 2017, a protest over fee hike at the varsity had turned violent after students clashed with police, who in turn had used tear gas to disperse the protesters.
President of Panjab University Campus Students’ Council (PUCSC), Ayush Khatkar said, “90% of students studying in PU come from middle-class families and are already suffering due to inflation. We oppose this move.”
He added that the university’s move to hike fee by 5% for those in traditional courses who are already studying in the university was illegal and the PUCSC will meet PU officials about this.
