Colleges told to submit fee proposals by June 30
Barely 55 of the 2,304 higher and professional unaided colleges,
which fall within the regulatory ambit of the Shikshan Shulka Samiti (fee fixation
panel), have so far submitted their proposals for approval of fees for academic
year (AY) 2011-12.
The samiti has directed all the colleges to ensure that their fees proposal for
2011-12 is submitted by June 30. This follows a review of the work for disposal
of proposals for 2011-12, which was taken up at the panels meeting in Mumbai last
week. The panel has released the draft minutes of this meeting, which was chaired
by Justice P.S. Patankar (Retd).
Of the 55 proposals submitted so far, 13 are by MBA/MMS institutes, eight each by
engineering and education degree colleges; six by MCA institutes and four each by
pharmacy degree and diploma institutes. Usually, the fee panel starts calling for
submission of annual proposals for revision of fees by the colleges from the month
of March and the process is expected to go on till June end.
However, the process goes on till September every year for various reasons. A prime
reason always provided by the institutes is that they get the audited financial
statements for the previous financial year, only by June/July. These audited statements
form the basis for the fee panel to determine revised fees for the concerned institute
for the next academic year.
In a related development, the panel has slapped a fine of Rs. 50,000 per proposal
on 32 polytechnics in the state after these institutes failed to submit their annual
fee proposals for AY 2010-11. Apart from the penalty, the panel has asked the managements
of the 32 polytechnics to submit their 2010-11 proposals by July 11, along with
some cogent and valid explanation for the delay. The Association of Managements
of Private Unaided Polytechnics had made a submission on behalf of the 32 polytechnics
that the latter faced varied difficulties in submitting their fee proposals and
hence be allowed to do the same now. To this, the fee panel pointed out that all
these polytechnics were given an extended deadline till September 2010 to furnish
their proposals with Rs. 50,000 penalty.
The panel has explicitly stated in its draft minutes for its last meeting that the
July 11 deadline to the 32 polytechnics be treated as a special case and that these
institutes ought to provide some valid reason for the delay.
Courtesy: Times of India
