No changes in fee revision rules till 2021: FRA

Despite letters from several colleges seeking changes in fee revision rules, the state Fee Regulatory Authority (FRA) on Friday pushed its decision on changing the

Despite letters from several colleges seeking changes in fee revision rules, the state Fee Regulatory Authority (FRA) on Friday pushed its decision on changing the rules by one year.

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“The FRA in principle agrees to revise usage charges as well as revision of norms related to inflation equalisation factor, and while we assure consideration in this matter, a decision will only follow in 2021-22 academic year,” said a circular released by the FRA on Friday.

A senior member of FRA told HT that any decision on changes to fee revision rules can only be made after the permission comes through from the state government. “Also, the FRA has already started work on the revision of fee structure of several engineering and medical colleges for the 2020-21 academic year, so no new changes can be included anymore,” said the official.

As private institutes start the process of revising their fee structure for the next academic year, the Association of Managements of Unaided Engineering Colleges had written to FRA, asking for changes in the fee revision rules.

The association has demanded FRA to raise the limit of inflation equalisation factor while revising the fees, keeping in mind the increase in expenses incurred by the institutes. “Our college fee is not being revised at the same rate at which inflation rises, and this is leaving several institutes in deficit year after year. The FRA needs to understand the same,” said a spokesperson for a Pune-based engineering institute.

The association has also requested the revision of usage charges, in order to incorporate the same in fee structure.