New Delhi: In a major relief to students, the All India Council for Technical Education (AICTE) has appealed to all technical education institutions to not charge fee from students until the nationwide lockdown is lifted. It has also asked these institutions to not hike the fee for academic session 2020-21.
The central government’s regulatory body for technical education institutions has made these appeals in two separate letters over the last month.
In the first appeal made on 15 April, the AICTE said, “it is clarified that colleges/institutions should not insist on payment of fee till the time lockdown is lifted and normalcy is restored”. The letter also instructed institutions to not hike the fee. It also asked them to communicate the information to students through email or display it on their official website.
The second letter was sent out on 1 May, specifically aimed at standalone institutions, after complaints emerged that they were trying to raise the fee.
Standalone institutions are neither universities nor affiliated to one. They are autonomous institutions that have the approval to offer selected courses.
The AICTE letter sent to standalone post graduate diploma in management institutions read: “The institutions shall not hike the admission fee or other fee for the academic year 2020-21 and also should not force selected candidates to pay advance fee during lockdown.”
Also read: JEE-Advanced to be conducted on 23 August: HRD Ministry
HRD Ministry appeals too
The second appeal from AICTE came shortly after the Ministry of Human Resource Development (HRD) reached out to states and Union Territories, asking them to appeal to technical institutes to not hike the fee.
In a letter written to all states and UTs on 29 April, Higher Education Secretary Amit Khare had said, “Along with an unprecedented human toll, Covid-19 has triggered a deep economic crisis impacting all strata of society. Therefore to guard the best interests of students, I request you to send an appeal to all technical institutions including private technical institutions in your state/UT to avoid any hike in admission fee or other fee during the academic sessions 2020-21.”
This appeal was made after the government received complaints about various technical institutions asking students to pay the fee during the lockdown period.
Meanwhile, HRD Minister Ramesh Pokhriyal Nishank has also appealed to the Indian Institutes of Technology (IITs) and National Institutes of Technology (NITs) to not hike their fee this year. He announced this during his live interaction with students on 5 May.
Responding to a query on fee hike, the minister had said, “I had asked the (IIT) chairpersons to convey this to all the institute heads and directors and I hope this sentiment would be respected.”
Also read: How coronavirus education crisis has made HRD Minister Ramesh Pokhriyal ‘more visible’
Will nit nagpur that is vnit refund my fees if I cancel my seat within the stipulated time. I mean full fees .
Kindly help
I m a college student n due to lockdown
My parents have no work to earn money
But college is asking about fees n that also within stipulated date that is 10 -20 August . I used to live in rent n I have to pay for it also as my home is far from college. So, even this news has been given why they are asking fees about
N we don’t have classes since 3 months n we already had pay for it i.e. 2nd semester n now my parents have no any income to how can I afford for it to pay for 3rd semester . I request plz look over this all issue ……
There is a simple reason for college not asking fees from student as there was no resources used by colleges in this lockdown and we have given fees for 6 month’s in which we have been in house for 3 months and they are also giving teacher half of their salary and now they have send message fir fees which cost you 90000.
How can someone pay this much amount who has been not working for around 2 months.. …
There is a simple reason for college not asking fees from student as there was no resources used by colleges in this lockdown and we have given fees for 6 month’s in which we have been in house for 3 months and they are also giving teacher half of their salary and now they have send message fir fees which cost you( 90000.)
How can someone pay this much amount who has been not working for around 2 months.
(There is a simple reason for college not asking fees from student as there was no resources used by colleges in this lockdown and we have given fees for 6 month’s in which we have been in house for 3 months and they are also giving teacher half of their salary and now they have send message fir fees which cost you( 90000.)
How can someone pay this much amount who has been not working for around 2 months.)
There is a simple reason for college not asking fees from student as there was no resources used by colleges in this lockdown and we have given fees for 6 month’s in which we have been in house for 3 months and they are also giving teacher half of their salary and now they have send message fir fees which cost you 90000.
How can someone pay this much amount who has been not working for around 2 months.
यूनिवर्सिटी लॉकडाउन में भी स्टूडेंट्स पर फीस जमा करने के लिए दबाव डाल रही है।इन सभी यूनिवर्सिटी की शिकायत कहां करें। प्लीज़ हेल्प!
my college is imposing fine 100 rs per day for not attending online classes as i am from j & k here 2g is working .It is impossible for me to attend online classes
Everything shall have to be logical.
It’s a hard time really specially for some institutes where the financial resources are limited and they have to pay the salaries to their teaching and non teaching staff. So AICTE should also consider such facts while giving any statement
This is typically a decision which is taken with improper planning. If institute is not allowed to take fees from the students, then how the faculty will get salary. Is government ready to pay salaries of faculties. I think the decision needs to be changed or govt. should pay salaries to the faculties. On the other hand, the ministry is expecting with faculties to prepare the online content for students. I understand condition is serious but one-sided decision are not worthy in interest of citizens. Please reconsider it.
I am working in private company . I am not getting regular salary as I used to get . I am sitting at home for more than 5 months. can you tell me how can I pay my son’s college fee.
My college (cmrcet) is collecting 1800 for 2nd sem exam fess
What type of complain I can do…
Because my college has already collected fees approx 4000 from students during lockdown despite.. students and authorities telling them not to do so….
Rather one-sided instruction. How should the education institutions pay salaries of teaching and non-teaching staff? Bring them also to road like the migrent workers?