Karnataka govt allows private engineering colleges to hike fees by 7.5%

Bengaluru: The fee for engineering courses in the state for the 2025-26 academic year will be increased by 7.5%.

The demand made by private engineering colleges to hike the fee for undergraduate courses by 15% was turned down by Minister for Higher Education Dr M C Sudhakar. On Friday the representatives of Karnataka Unaided Private Engineering Colleges Association (KUPECA), met the minister in Bengaluru and agreed to the 7.5% hike proposed by the minister. 

The association’s representatives pointed to the expenses they incur by way of revising teachers’ salaries, additional infrastructure costs, among others, to justify their demand for a 15% hike in fees. Sources in the Department of Higher Education said that the minister, however, remained firm in his stand, and made it clear that a 15% hike was out of the question.

“The association representatives submitted their own reasons for seeking hike by 15%, but we were clear not to hike it more than 7.5% and they have agreed to it,” said Dr Sudhakar.  

However Sudhakar said that, in case any extraordinary situation arises leading to major changes in the schedule, then the government will consider their request to increase the fees by one or two percent more.

The minister is learnt to have reminded the association’s representatives that the government had allowed private engineering colleges to effect a 10% hike in their fees in 2024. However, private colleges had actually sought a 15% hike in 2024.

The previous BJP government had agreed to hike the fee by 10% and the Congress, which came to power in 2023 slashed this rise to 7%.

The state government has also imposed certain conditions on COMEDK colleges.

“COMEDK Counselling should be held only after the first round of KCET counselling. Seats remaining after two rounds of KCET counselling will be handed over to the college management 10 days prior to the last day of counselling,” said Sudhakar, adding that the government could, if the medical seat matrix is announced, hold KCET counselling as early as possible.