Karnataka government hikes fees in engineering colleges; students demand rollback

Amidst a hike in fees in government engineering colleges in Karnataka, students and student-led associations have begun their protest demanding a rollback of the yearly hike along with seeking an increase in the scholarship amount. The All India Democratic Students' Organisation (AIDSO) staged a protest in Mysore for the same.

AIDSO District President Subhash told EdexLive that the hike in fees this year came without prior intimation. EdexLive earlier reported that the Karnataka Examinations Authority (KEA) 2022-23 fee structure for Engineering and Architecture courses in government colleges looks like this:

SNQ category: Rs 21,700/-

SC/ST (Income up to Rs 2.50 lakh): Rs 500/- 

SC/ST (Income up to Rs.10.00 Lakhs): 21,700/-

CAT-1 Income below Rs 2.5 lakh: Rs 21,700/-
 

The document that EdexLive has a copy of went on to highlight that as against the fee structure of 2021-22, Rs 18,220, Rs 500, Rs 18,220 and Rs 18,220, respective hikes have been made. Additionally, according to reports, the Karnataka Higher Education Minister CN Ashwathnarayan announced increasing the BTech fees by 10 per cent. However, the Karnataka private engineering college fees remained unchanged.

A student told EdexLive on the condition of anonymity that her family had to pay Rs 38,000 this year for her fees. "My father is a carpenter and my mother is a tailor. It was tough for us to afford this amount. Moreover, the scholarship amount for SC/ST students remains unchanged at just Rs 18,000," she said.

"On the one hand students are reeling under an unprecedented economic crisis, on the other hand, the government is constantly either increasing the fees or reducing scholarship amount. This has resulted in a gradual decrease in students opting for higher education. If Government Engineering fees keep increasing every year, lakhs of students belonging to poor and lower middle-class families must let go of their dream to become engineers," a statement by AIDSO read. The student-led association plans to protest against the fee hike across the state.

Not a lone case

The issue of fee hikes has plagued multiple universities across the country.  The Healthcare Reforms Doctors Association (HRDA) on December 6, 2022, registered a complaint against the excess fees, of up to Rs 50,000, being charged in the name of labs, libraries and sports fees. These are being collected in excess by private medical colleges in Telangana and this is against the fees fixed by Telangana Admissions and Fee Regulatory Committee (TAFRC), according to the complaint filed by the doctors' associations, as stated in a report by The New Indian Express.