IIT panel for hike in UG fees

A committee of the directors of the premier IITs has recommended increase in annual tuition fee of undergraduate students to Rs 90,000 from 2013, as against the current Rs 50,000.

The recommendation of 80 per cent hike in fee will be placed before the full council of the IIT, the highest decision-making body of the technology and engineering schools, on January 7. The decision by the standing committee of the IIT at its meeting in Mumbai on Monday was yet another attempt to raise the fee structure.

The earlier Anil Kakodkar Committee, set up by the government to study the roadmap for the autonomy and future of the IITs, had recommended in January, this year, that the fees be raised from Rs 50,000 per annum to Rs 2 to Rs 2.5 lakh. However, with the decision on the hike pending for over a year, the standing committee of the Council, which includes directors of the seven older IITs, held the latest meeting. The Kakodkar Committee suggestion of steep hike too came up for discussion. If Monday’s suggestion is accepted, it will act as interim arrangement until the Kakodkar Committee recommendations are finalised and implemented.