The Hindu : Students resent abnormal increase in bus pass rate

Online edition of India's National Newspaper
Friday, Jun 20, 2003

Southern States

Southern States - Karnataka-Bangalore

Students resent abnormal increase in bus pass rate

By Our Staff Reporter

BANGALORE JUNE 19. There has been resentment among college students about the abnormal increase in student bus pass rates issued by the Bangalore Metropolitan Transport Corporation, particularly for engineering and medical students.

While it was Rs.380 for all college students (except evening colleges) for 10 months last year, certain categories have been introduced this year: college (Rs.420), medical and engineering (Rs.800) and professional college students (Rs.430).

Whether medical and engineering students are rich enough to afford Rs.80 per month for bus pass is the question that needs an answer.

The increase in bus pass rate is considered severe, as students have to pay a higher tuition fee from this academic year.

And, sensing the resentment among these categories of students, the transport corporation is likely to reduce the rate to Rs.60 per month shortly.

On the other hand, if one looks at the revenue that the transport corporation derives through student passes, one would wonder that it had received only Re.1 per day from each student.

The number of passes issued during the last academic year (for 10 months) was 2,14,188 and the revenue they generated was Rs.6,45,48,630. It would be Rs.301 on an average per student, that is to say, Re.1 per day.

If student passes are compared to transport corporation's cheapest monthly passes, i.e., Rs.260 per month, it should have earned Rs.55.68 crores.

However, there is a deficiency of Rs.49 crores and the Government reimbursed only Rs.2 crores last year.

As a result, there was a net loss of Rs.47 crores to the transport corporation.

Though the transport corporation increased student bus pass rates this year too, the rate for bus passes for students up to VII Standard was reduced from Rs.65 per month to Rs.30.

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