Panel to study allegations and special fee concept

Committee to submit its report within a month

Hyderabad, October 3, 2007

In view of large scale complaints on collection of special fee by colleges offering professional courses, the State Government has constituted a committee headed by APSCHE Chairman KC Reddy to look into the allegations. The committee members include the Principal Secretariesof Higher Education and Finance, and Vice Chancellors of Osmania University, Sri Venkateswara University, JNTU and Andhra University.

The Joint Director N Rajasekhar Reddy of APSCHE said that colleges are collecting special fee ranging from Rs.7,000 to Rs.10,000 from each student fro various reasons. He said that the committee will submit its report within a month. On the other hand, students have been vehemently opposing the imposition of this fee and even student unions have been agitating against it.

Students are confused on the money collected by the colleges on various heads though they pay the tuition fee at the time of counselling itself. Colleges have requested the JNTU to collect the affiliation fee at the time of counselling itself but the JNTU refused to spare personnel for the work at the counseling centres. The committee's report is expected to give fresh guidelines on the entire issue.