Impasse over fees for engineering courses continues

The government has offered engineering colleges two options -- either implement the Fee Regulatory Committee’s report, or sign a consensual agreement with it.

Under the consensual agreement, colleges will be allowed to charge Rs 32,500 for CET seats, and upto Rs 1.5 lakh under COMED-K/management quota. Karnataka Unaided Private Engineering Colleges Association Vice President Pandurang Shetty said the Association had decided to wait for the contents of the Fee Regulatory Committee’s report to be revealed before taking a decision.

College authorities have also expressed doubts on the legality of the move by the government to offer two options to colleges to offer their seats -- either as per the consensual agreement or the 2006 Act.

Under the 2006 Act, colleges will be free to conduct admissions through any test administered by them with the condition that fee will be fixed based on the Fee Regulatory Committee’s report. Colleges will also be required to reserve 50 per cent of seats under the SC/ST and OBC category. However, there is no reservation for general category.