Several private engineering colleges flout fee norms in Telangana

In the garb of miscellaneous fee, several private engineering colleges were found to be charging a fee excess than what is prescribed by the government.

Hyderabad: In the garb of miscellaneous fee, several private engineering colleges were found to be charging a fee excess than what is prescribed by the government. This has come to light with several students knocking on the doors of the Telangana Admission and Fee Regulatory Committee (TAFRC).

The State government has a fixed fee to be charged under the special services fee from students under 11 categories including college functions (Rs 75), health centre services (Rs 100), reading room (Rs 25), college magazine (Rs 50), hobby centres (Rs 25), student handbook (Rs 25), lab fee (Rs 150), library fee (Rs 125), computer and internet fee (Rs 250), placement cell (Rs 125) and games and sports (Rs 50).

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However, in the guise of the miscellaneous fee category, the colleges were found collecting fees for the reading corner, transportation and hostel fees despite students not availing of such facilities in the colleges.

“During the hearings, the colleges have shown us that they collected the fee under the miscellaneous category. However, there is no such category in the fee collection. Every component under which fee is collected must be mentioned,” an official said.

So far, the committee has served notices on 26 colleges and in fact, levied a penalty of Rs 2 lakh per student on over 20 colleges besides ensuring the excess fee is refunded to students.

The committee had already warned colleges that it would levy a hefty penalty of Rs 2 lakh on management for every complaint from students which on verification is found true.

It also made it clear that penalties would be collected from the funds lying with the Telangana State Engineering, Agriculture and Medical Common Entrance Test (TS EAMCET) convener. Asked whether such penalties would stand in the court, the official said a resolution was passed in the committee meeting on the same.

Panel to scrutinise admissions

Meanwhile, the Telangana State Council of Higher Education has decided to constitute a special committee comprising professors to scrutinise admissions particularly made by the private engineering colleges under the management quota.

The committee was being constituted as the council received several complaints from parents and students stating that merit was not followed by the colleges while admitting students under the management quota seats.

“Each complaint relating to B-category admissions in the private engineering colleges will be scrutinized by the committee. Any deviation will be viewed seriously,” an official said.