After examination fee hike for 2016-17 by over 30%, Panjab University (PU) has 5-10 time increase in tuition fee from the 2017-18 academic session on its agenda. A proposal on this has been forwarded for discussion at the syndicate’s meeting on July 31. Dean University Instructions (DUI) Dinesh Gupta chaired the July 5 meeting, where a hike in tuition fee was proposed from the next session.
Also read: PU senate gives final nod to 30% hike in examination fee
Even as the fee will be hiked, 10% of seats in all the courses are likely to be reserved for meritorious students belonging to the economically weaker section.
Competent bodies like the syndicate and senate will work out the modalities.
“It is a proposal that too for the next year. We will deliberate . We have to meet our deficit. Punjab’s contribution is fixed. There are self-financing courses in the varsity. The rise in salaries of teachers teaching these courses have to match with the fee hike. At least, the fee hike should match with those of centrally funded institutions,” said PU vice-chancellor professor Arun Kumar Grover.
{{/usCountry}}“It is a proposal that too for the next year. We will deliberate . We have to meet our deficit. Punjab’s contribution is fixed. There are self-financing courses in the varsity. The rise in salaries of teachers teaching these courses have to match with the fee hike. At least, the fee hike should match with those of centrally funded institutions,” said PU vice-chancellor professor Arun Kumar Grover.
{{/usCountry}}Shortfall in resources
PU’s financial woes started from 2014-15 when it had a net shortfall of Rs 16.2 crore towards central assistance.
For 2015-16, the actual expenditure had increased to Rs 431.41 crore. After adjusting the university’s own revenue of Rs 209.5 crore, as well as fixed contribution of Punjab of Rs 20 crore the net deficit came out to be Rs 201.8 crore. This resulted in uncovered shortfall of Rs 28.8 crore in 2015-16, though figures are under audit.
In the backdrop of financial crunch of Rs 45.1 crore for 2014-15 and 2015-16, PU had sought an amount of Rs 100 crore as the first installment for 2016-17, but on June 29, a first installment of only Rs 40 crore was transmitted by UGC to PU account.
It enabled the university to pay salaries and pension to PU employees for June.