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Maharashtra to request varsities to reduce fees at V-Cs meet
PUNE After the state government took a decision to reduce the fees charged by engineering colleges, Nagpur university also acted on an appeal by the state government and reduced its fees, taking the Covid situation into consideration
PUNE After the state government took a decision to reduce the fees charged by engineering colleges, Nagpur university also acted on an appeal by the state government and reduced its fees, taking the Covid situation into consideration.
“On Monday we are going to have a meeting with all vice-chancellors of the state universities and will to appeal them to reduce fees in their respective universities as well,” said Uday Samant, state higher and technical education minister. He was speaking at a press conference held on Sunday at the Pune collector’s office.
He further said, “As we have requests and demands from many students and unions to reduce the engineering college fees, a decision was taken last week and fees were reduced by 25 per cent. Similarly, Nagpur university reduced various parts of its fees, like library, gymkhana, maintenance and other fees, for this academic year. Along with the meeting on Monday, an official letter will be sent to all state universities appealing for a fee reduction.”
When asked about private colleges, he said, “For private colleges and their fees, a Fee Regulating Committee (FRA) is been formed and its chairman is former Bombay High Court judge Vijay Achliya. We had a meeting with him two days ago and over reduction of fees at private colleges.”
Kuldeep Ambekar, president of Students Helping Hand organisation said, “It is always a welcome decision if all the state universities follow Nagpur university and reduce their fees. There are lakhs of students from the rural parts who are struggling to survive due to the Covid pandemic, followed by lockdowns in the state. Most of them are leaving their education in between. If fees are reduced, then it would bring great relief to them.”
