Pune: The battle to fight against the unprecedented fee hike of 86 per cent still continues for parents of BKL Walawalkar Rural Medical College, Chiplun students even after three months. Eight parents from Pune are affected by the increase from Rs 3.90 lakh to Rs 7.25 lakh approved by Fee Regulatory Authority (FRA). The parents had then approached Forum Against Commercialisation of Education in May.
After filing a Right to Information (RTI) by using information provided by FRA on the fee hike, the forum found that it was approved in an arbitrary manner and without any proper verification of expenses.
According to the RTI, it also included that with the expenses claimed by the college and the fee approved by FRA college is set to make a windfall profit. Though as per act educational institutions are not supposed to be profit making, said Dr Vivek Korde President of Forum Against Commercialisation of Education.
Dummy teachers
The parents have been complaining about ghost teachers in BKL Walawalkar Rural Medical College. “We have been trying to track and identify 255 teachers shown on their payrolls by the medical college. So far, only 59 teachers have been located on campus and their details are with us.
They are working at places like Mumbai, Pune, Nashik, Dhule, Sangli, Kolhapur, Goa etc. While the rest 196 teachers must be practicing elsewhere in the country.
The list and evidence are available with us and can be shown if required,” said Korde. The parents have been trying to meet State Minister of Medical Education, Girish Mahajan but their efforts are in vain.
FRA’s response
Ravindra Dahad, a member of FRA, said, “As it’s a common practice at any new college, the fee for the previous academic year 2015-16 was decided on an ad-hoc basis, and the parents are informed that the fees are likely to be revised. After 2015-16, the balance sheet was drawn and accordingly, the fees for the next three years were finalised. While the fees remained same for 2016-17 according to FRA, they were raised this year.”
Dahad also said that on the complaint of ghost teachers, FRA appointed a fact finding committee to look into the allegations, and the committee has already visited the college to review its facilities, equipment, resources etc.
