Tuition fee reverse scheme gets a thumbs down from colleges

Only 25 per cent engineering and pharmacy colleges in the state have so far implemented the tuition fees reverse scheme8212; a voluntary programme under which tuition fees of students coming from weak financial backgrounds are waived.

Only 25 per cent engineering and pharmacy colleges in the state have so far implemented the tuition fees reverse scheme8212; a voluntary programme under which tuition fees of students coming from weak financial backgrounds are waived.

There are 37 self-financed engineering colleges with a capacity of 13,000 students and 17 government-aided colleges, having 5,374 seats. The number of self-financed pharmacy colleges is 31 and there are four pharmacy-engineering colleges with a total intake capacity of 4,400. This year, only 830 students out of nearly 22,770 have been benefited by the scheme. Last year, the number was 689.

As per the scheme, if any engineering and pharmacy college is interested in helping financially weak students or wants to do charity for them, they can register themselves for this scheme with the India Council for Technical Education AICTE.

The council has urged the colleges to give 10 per cent of their total seats under this scheme, against which the AICTE will allot them as many extra seats to cover the cost.

8220;As this scheme is totally on a volunteer basis, we cannot force any college to implement it,8221; said M N Patel, member secretary in the Admission Committee for Professional Courses. He is also principal of the state8217;s biggest engineering college 8212; L D College of Engineering, Ahmedabad.

He added: 8220;Last year, we requested a few colleges to implement this scheme and they agreed. This year, we sent a written letter to all the colleges requesting them the same. But none of them said 8216;Yes8217;. The new fee structure and some new management admission policies of the government is said to be some of the reasons behind it.8221;

Chandrakant Patel, a trustee of Dharmaj Degree Pharmacy College, Anand, told Newsline: 8220;We want to implement such schemes, but it8217;s been only three years since our college was established. At this moment, we cannot afford to let off tuition fees.8221;

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M C Gohel, principal of L M College of Pharmacy, Ahmedabad, said: 8220;College never decides whom to cover and whom not to under the scheme. At the time of admission, it is clearly mentioned in the forms that those who want to benefit from this scheme will have to mention it in their form.8221;

On the basis of this, the Admission Committee for Professional Courses directs colleges to waive the tuition fees of such students, he added.