Fee hike proposal invites sharp criticism

Chandigarh, March 9: The various fee hikes proposed by the fee revision committee of the Punjab University at its meeting held today and ...

Chandigarh, March 9: The various fee hikes proposed by the fee revision committee of the Punjab University at its meeting held today and on February 15, have evoked sharp criticism from various quarters, with a few exceptions.

Most students feel that the massive hike will put a sudden burden on parents belonging to the lower and lower-middle income groups. Others, even some teachers, say that if the hikes are not completely unjustified, the enormity of the hikes certainly is. Some university and college officials, however, feel that the hike is justified.

8220;Why do they want to increase the fees and burden the parents further when the funds are never spent on us,8221; complains Satinder Singh, B.A.I student of the Government College Sector 11. 8220;In certain subjects even the syllabi are not completed during the session,8221; Singh adds.

College principal S. N. Singla, however, feels the hike in tuition fees from Rs 30 to Rs 50 is not asking for much. 8220;If people can pay in schools why not in the colleges,8221; he reasons. Singla is mildly critical of the suggested increase in certain other fees.

Ajay Pal Singh, campus unit president of the National Students Union of India NSUI, is more straightforward in his criticism. 8220;The standards are going down, so why must the fees go up? If they increase the fees, we will take the agitation course, perhaps, even boycott the exams,8221; he declares. Ditto for office-bearers of most other student bodies. 8220;We are going to plan an agitation if the hikes are enforced,8221; warns Punjab University Students Union PUSU president Lakhjit Singh. 8220;It is too much at one go. The increase is justified, but it should be gradual,8221; suggests Aarti Paul, student of M.A. II, Department of French, PU.

PU senator and former student leader Kuljit Singh Nagra dubs the fee hike as an attempt to harm the interest of the poor students. 8220;It is against the basic right of education. The government should curtail other expenditure rather than limit grants to the university.8221;

8220;The hikes,8221; says Deepak Manmohan Singh, Honorary Dean of the College Development Council, PU, 8220;were long overdue.8221;

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8220;Besides, comparing them to the fees already being charged by the GNDU or the Punjabi University, this is nothing,8221; he points out.

Prof. P. P. Arya, president of the AIFUTA, comments: 8220;The proportion of people from the lower sections is already low. These hikes will only widen the gap between the rich and the poor students.8221; Arya sees the blanket hikes as a 8220;designed attempt on part of the society8221; to burden the poor. 8220;These hikes will in any case not bridge the deficit in the budget,8221; he remarks.

Member of the university Board of Finance and PU syndicate S. S. Gill agrees. Quoting figures, he says: 8220;The hikes will raise only about Rs 25 lakh. The deficit is over Rs 21 crore. A better idea would be to raise the rents of the shops in the PU campus market. Other economy measures should be adopted. The new and additional demands in the budget for 1999-2000 have slated Rs 2.6 lakh, other undefined demands have Rs 10.4 lakh earmarked. All this when the Punjab government has prohibited unplanned expenditure. I think all we need is a little economising, just better fiscal management,8221; he says.