Pune: The Directorate of Higher Education has ordered all registrars of universities and joint directors of all divisions in the state to submit information about the college fees amount sanctioned and the actual collection in the last 10 years. These orders were issued after it was revealed that colleges are collecting fees from students of backward class category despite government orders prohibiting them to do so.
Praveen (name changed) said, "I am studying in a law college in Pune. Even though I am from the backward class category, I had to pay a fee of Rs 35,000. I have lodged a complaint with the social welfare department against this. The students are in the dark about the government orders."
Sunil Shinde (name changed), another student pursuing BSc in Baramati said, "Even though I have taken admission from OBC category, I had to pay a fee of Rs 16,000."
Similarly, thousands of students across the state are being charged thousands of rupees for various reasons. The state government had in 2005 issued an order not to charge fees from students of backward class category in aided and unaided colleges of arts, commerce, science, physical education, law and pedagogy. Colleges have conveniently ignored those orders and are charging tuition fees and fees for laboratories, libraries, computers, playgrounds, gyms, magazines etc.
There is a scheme 'Rajarshi Shahu Maharaj Tuition Fee Reimbursement Scholarship Scheme' for students from the open category. Still, 100 per cent fees are being collected from such students. Parents and students are being cheated by colleges and thus there is a demand that an audit should be conducted.
Amar Ekad of Surajya Vidyarthi Sanghatna said, "The universities have approved the fee structure for all the colleges. Despite this, colleges are charging higher amounts from students. This needs to be thoroughly investigated. Therefore, we had requested information about colleges in the state from the Directorate of Higher Education. Now the directorate has ordered universities to submit this information."
Dr Dhanraj Mane, Director of Higher Education said, "Orders have been issued to the registrars of all the universities and joint directors of all divisions to collect information on the fee structure of colleges and the actual fees charged from students after admission. The information is expected to be collated in the next eight days. The minister has also ordered action in this regard."
According to data
A total number of colleges in rural, urban and tribal areas are :
Government colleges in total are 28 out of which 3 are in rural areas, 25 in urban areas and none in tribal areas. Similarly, aided colleges are 1177 in a total of which, 588 are rural and 534 are urban, with a total of 55 colleges in tribal areas.
In the unaided category, there are a total of 1936 with 1015 in rural areas and 823 in urban areas, also 98 in tribal areas.
The total number of colleges accounts for 3141 of which 1606 are in rural areas and 1382 in urban areas and a total of 153 in tribal areas.
