Issue fiat to pvt varsities on fee slab, KEA urges govt

Following the complaints from parents and students during the KCET 2024 seat allotment that some of the private universities were demanding excess fees from students, the KEA has written to the Karnataka State Council for Higher Education requesting to fix a uniform university fees for private universities for the 40% of the seats shared with the government.

Bengaluru: The Karnataka Examinations Authority (KEA) has asked the government to issue directions for private universities to stick to the fee fixed by the government and the Visvesvaraya Technological university (VTU) towards University fees for professional courses.

Following the complaints from parents and students during the KCET 2024 seat allotment that some of the private universities were demanding excess fees from students, the KEA has written to the Karnataka State Council for Higher Education requesting to fix a uniform university fees for private universities for the 40 per cent of the seats shared with the government.

As shared by the KEA authorities, one or two private universities are following the fees fixed by the VTU. “While allotting seats at private universities, KEA itself will collect the university fees fixed by VTU and transfers the same to the respective universities and colleges. VTU has fixed Rs 10,000 as university fees, but students have filed complaints saying that private universities demand three to four times more than what was fixed by VTU. To avoid financial burden on students and parents we request the government to fix uniform university fees even for private universities,” reads the KEA’s communication.

KEA has also requested the government to include 40 per cent of the seats shared with government by the private universities in the consensual agreement.

“When KEA conducts counseling for 40% of the seats available at private universities, it is necessary to include the same in the consensual agreement to avoid inconveniences to students and parents who opt seats,” claims KEA authorities.

Each private university has its own act. KEA has also quoted the University Grants Commission’s regulation for admission and fee structure in private professional educational institutions 2004. “The professional institutions shall charge from the students only the prescribed fees. No other fees shall be collected by the professional education institutions either directly or indirectly under any other head or guise,” KEA quoted.