The varsity and affiliated colleges have increased fees for various courses by 100% to 200%.
Post-graduate students of Mumbai University and affiliated colleges were in for a rude shock when the authorities told them of a fee increase of 100% to 200%.
Though university officials said the increase was very much in the offing this year owing to implementation of the Sixth Pay Commission’s recommendations, students said they were not warned about it.
Notices were put up in several departments of Mumbai University’s Kalina campus, informing students about the increase. Even colleges offering post-graduate courses have informed their students. The students have been told to pay the difference by the month-end.
A university official, on condition of anonymity, said, “The new fee structure should have been implemented in 2010-11. Students are disturbed. The situation is worse in colleges offering unaided post-graduate courses. The fees have doubled and, in some cases, tripled in such colleges.”
The fee for IT courses, for instance, has been raised from Rs18,000 to Rs34,000, that too for aided seats. The fee for MCom at the university has gone up from Rs2,400 to Rs6,445. In colleges offering the unaided course, the fee is even higher.
According to the official, there are about 20 colleges offering a master’s course in commerce, about 10 in arts, and 15 in science. Apart from these, many other colleges offer post-graduate courses in information technology and other subjects.
MCom student Mahi Jain (name changed) said, “Many students come to the university to do their master’s as the fees are minimal. If the fees were to be increased at the beginning of the year, they would have reconsidered the option. Such an enormous mid-term increase is just ridiculous.” But university registrar K Venkatramani said, “The fee hike was scheduled to take place in phases. The phase for the post-graduate courses was just announced and hence the circular was sent out.”
Venkatramani pointed out that the university had not revised its fees for a long time. “We also need to implement the sixth pay commission for teachers,” he said. “The fee increase was to happen at the beginning of this academic year. Students were told to submit an undertaking at the start of the term accepting the revision in fees.” Students, however, denied signing any such undertaking.
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