'Bill to regulate fee in pvt colleges to be amended soon'

A majority of colleges have agreed to uniform fee structure: Minister

Addressing reporters on Tuesday in the City, the minister said the ordinance to implement the Bill, to regulate the fee structure in private professional colleges in the State, has been kept in abeyance after the date of Legislative Assembly session was fixed.

Asserting that the government was firm on seat sharing and fee fixation, Acharya said the government had placed two options before the college managements i.e either to accept Rs 32,500 as uniform fee for professional colleges or adhere to the recommendations of the Justice Padmaraj Committee.

If the colleges seek implementation of the Justice Padmaraj Committee report, the State government will reveal the recommendations made in the report before the Court. As a result the colleges will be forced to accept the same, he said. “We are not aware of the contents in the report. Moreover, we do not want to face the allegations of tampering with the report,” the minister said.

Highlighting the communication made to various colleges on March 3, Acharya reiterated that the State wrote to all colleges asking them to either accept the Justice Padmaraj Committee report or enter into an agreement with the State over fixing of fee.

“ A majority of colleges responded to the letter, stating that they have agreed to the Rs 32,500 as uniform fee. Also, they have expressed their willingness to enter into an agreement with the State government,” said Acharya.

What is a matter of concern for the colleges is not the seats but the full strength of students, he added. On seat sharing, the minister said there were as many as 8,000 unfulfilled seats last year. However, this year with the quota being fixed in the ratio of 45 : 55 between the State and college managements respectively, there won’t be much problem for admission, observed the minister.

‘3 Civil Engg colleges in State’

The State government will be establishing three exclusive civil engineering colleges in the State. Infrastructure development in the State is in its nascent stage. Hence, the Civil Engineering Department needs to be given a fresh lease of life, Acharya said.

“ We need better infrastructure development not only in the State but in the entire nation. This can be accomplished only when we can produce engineers on par with Sir M Visvesvaraya,” he said.