On August 6, 2023, the Karnataka Higher Education Department released the revised fee structure for engineering and architecture colleges under various categories in the state. This move comes after the Higher Education Minister, MC Sudhakar announced last week that the engineering college fee hike will be reduced from 10% to 7% for the academic year 2023-24, as stated in a report by The New Indian Express.
A new consensual order was signed between the government and private engineering colleges where government seats are allotted for the academic year 2023-24. Further, the department has announced that for the University of Mysore where 504 seats are allotted, the fees will be capped at Rs 40,110.
For Visvesvaraya Technological University (VTU) government seats, the fees will be Rs 40,110 for the first year and for the consequent years, Rs 22,260 will be charged. Giving more details, the government notification read, “For the University of Visvesvaraya College of Engineering (UVCE), a sum of Rs 45,000 will be charged for first-year students and Rs 43,500 for other years will be obtained from students."
Private and aided engineering colleges
For private aided engineering colleges, the fees have been reduced to Rs 40,110, benefiting 95% of the government quota students that are reserved through the Karnataka Examination Authority (KEA). Additionally, for 45% of the government seats for non-minority, private unaided colleges the fee is capped at Rs 69,214 or 76,905 for different categories.
In government colleges with minority, unaided, private engineering and architecture colleges the fees will be Rs 69,214 or Rs 76,905 for 40% of the seats. Under the Karnataka Religious and Linguistic Minority Professional Colleges Association (KRLMPCA) with 30% seats, the fees are capped at Rs 1,69,192 or Rs 2,37,706 under the different quotas.
In colleges under the Consortium of Medical, Engineering and Dental Colleges of Karnataka (COMEDK), 30% of seats will have fees fixed at Rs 1,69,192 or Rs 2,37,706. The revised structure comes as a relief to many students in the current academic year. To recall, the previous BJP government in March 2023 had signed the agreement fixing the hike at 10% which was cancelled by the new government.
