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Karnataka Government Engineering College Fee Hike by Rs. 10,000 in All State-run Engineering Colleges- Breaking News
Through a note released lately, Karnataka State government has increased the tuition fees in state-run engineering colleges by an amount of Rs. 10,000 for the 2021-22 academic year from the previous academic year. The news became public on 2nd December 2021.
In the concerned note issued by the Karnataka Examinations Authority (KEA), it was stated that Rs. 10,000 has been added as “other fees”. Students will now have to pay an overall fee of Rs. 33,810 for their engineering studies in Government Engineering Colleges.
This step by the Karnataka government has drawn a lot of criticism from students across the state. According to the students, this decision is ‘untimely’ and abrupt. Students also put forth the argument that this decision has not been taken in consideration of the financial crisis being faced by the families of many students due to the ongoing Covid-19 situation.
Prelude of Government Engineering College Fee Hike in Karnataka
As of September 2021, the Karnataka government had concluded that there will be no hike in government engineering colleges for the academic year 2021-22, in light of the impact of the pandemic, but it had allowed few engineering colleges to charge upto Rs. 20,000 as “skill-development” fees, applicable to those colleges who have skill development laboratories.
The government had also that the skill fees will be split into three slabs, based on which the college management can charge Rs. 10,000, Rs.15,000 or Rs. 20,000 from students. It is with reference to this decision that the Higher Education Department in Kerala said that they are allowed to hike the fees by Rs.10,000 as ‘skill-development fees’ to upgrade their infrastructure.
Karnataka Government Engineering College Fee Hike – Students Reactions
Most of the students were taken by surprise by this announcement, as it was made on 30th September, 2021 (Tuesday) just after the first round of seat allotment under the COMEDK exam was done. However, the fees for government quota and private quota seats in private engineering colleges were not increased this year.
Many student organizations have scheduled protests in the coming days to pressurize the government to withdraw the decision of the fee hike.
A senior leader of the National Students Union of India (NSUI) also stated that hundreds of students from Karnataka have contacted them for aiding them in making the authorities rebuke this decision.
Moreover, Ajay Kamath, the Karnataka secretary of the All India Democratic Students Organisation (AIDSO) called the decision ‘anti-student’ and ‘anti-education’.
Karnataka Government Engineering College Fee Hike – Government Stance
The higher education department, however, is justifying the hike by saying that the government colleges in Karnataka have waited for funds for several years to upgrade the classrooms and dilapidated laboratories from the government. Hence, the fee hike is necessary for the renovation of these laboratories so that students can be provided better education.
Combatting this argument, the AIDSO Bengaluru district president, Sithara H. M, said that this will force many students living in rural areas whose livelihoods depend solely on agriculture, to give up their dreams of pursuing higher education as their families have already been struck by the pandemic, further worsening their financial conditions, and so this decision should be reversed as soon as possible.
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