Private colleges were warned of strict action if they make additional fees compulsory for students who have got seats under the Common Entrance Test.
Following complaints about the “miscellaneous charges” being collected by private colleges, a meeting was held here on Monday in which Medical Education Minister S.A. Ramdas, Higher Education Minister C.T. Ravi, Higher Education Principal Secretary Siddaiah and Director of Technical Education H.U. Talwar participated.
Simultaneously, Visvesvaraya Technological University (VTU) issued a circular warning colleges of punitive action, including withdrawal of affiliation.
Speaking to The Hindu, VTU Vice-Chancellor H. Maheshappa said: “We have issued a notification that we will take serious action if they charge the fees.”
He, however, added that colleges can charge fees but cannot make it compulsory. “We understand that colleges will incur additional expenditure if they have to provide laptops, conduct placement training, but we have asked them not to make it compulsory,” he said.
Panduranga Setty, secretary, Karnataka Unaided Private Engineering College Association (KUPECA), said: “There was some confusion between college managements and the government. This has been sorted out now.” He said that colleges would charge additional fee to provide services but clarified it would not be made compulsory for all students.
Earlier, the day saw a litany of complaints about colleges charging extra. Vinayaka, parent of a student who got a seat in Proudadevaraya Institute of Technology, Hospet, said that despite paying the prescribed Rs. 41,590, the college charged another Rs. 12,875 in the name of college fees. He added that engineering colleges in Bangalore are demanding more than Rs. 25,000 extra as college fees. “If colleges demand more than the prescribed fee, the entire process of counselling is meaningless,” he added.
Last date
A press release said that students can continue to obtain the receipt for demand drafts and receive admission orders on Tuesday. As on Monday evening, 21,012 candidates completed the admission process which includes 1,331 in medical, 132 dental, 146 for Indian System of Medicine and Homoeopathy, 19,272 for engineering and 131 candidates for architecture. The last day to report to colleges is July 31.
After the fourth day of the first round of the COMED-K counselling, 15,456 general merit seats are remaining.
