‘Colleges fleece students and evade action by hiding price’

Aravind Pathak,a professional who wanted to pursue law,said he spent Rs 200 on a prospectus. “The college authorities wrote down my name and contact number in a register. They gave me a receipt of Rs 200,which was not attributed to buying of prospectus,” he said.

Youth activist Siddharth Sharma said some colleges even charge in the range of Rs 500 to Rs 1,000.

ILS Law College vice-principal Jaya Sagade said the institute charges more than Rs 20 for prospectus owing to the cost incurred in printing. “Our prospectus gives information about the curriculum,fee structure,faculties and range of activities undertaken by colleges,along with photographs. We can only provide students an A4 size pamphlet in the stipulated fee of Rs 20,” she said.

Modern College of Arts,Science and Commerce principal R S Zunjarrao said the cost structure of prospectus is unrealistic,highlighting that it was set more than 12 years ago. “The government should have revised the fee in keeping with the rising inflation. It should be reviewed at the earliest to make it more realistic,” he said.

Director of Education (higher) Prakash Gaikwad said his office has not received any official complaint related to the GR. “The upper limit set for charging fee towards prospectus by colleges is Rs 20 even though it has been a decade since the official order to this effect came in 2001. Neither students or parents have complained to us about violation… nor has any educational institution approached us demanding raising the official price of prospectus,” he said.

Career counsellor and activist Vivek Velankar said the state government and public universities should jointly take efforts to curb profiteering practices by colleges through sale of prospectus.

“Sale of prospectus has become a big source of income for colleges. The government department concerned and universities should rein in colleges and prevent them from looting students and parents,” he said,asking students to lodge complaints against errant institutes.