No fee hike in IITs for now

The government has rejected the proposal for a four-fold increase in the fees of undergraduate programmes of the premier technical institutes in the country.

Human Resource Development Minister Kapil Sibal rejected the proposal for a fee hike,suggested by the Kakodkar committee. The committee,which was set up to study the roadmap for the autonomy and future of the IITs,had recommended that the fee be raised from Rs 50,000 per annum to Rs 2 to Rs 2.5 lakh per annum.

Sibal said it will act as a deterrent to aspiring students,according to an official source in the ministry.

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The committee has been asked to rework the fee structure,taking into account aspirations of all sections.

The report was discussed at the IIT Council meeting here on Friday. After the meeting,Sibal is reported to have announced the setting up of 50 research parks at a cost of Rs 200 crore during the 12th plan period.

These could be set up on PPP mode,encouraging private players to carry out research activities in collaboration with government institutions. One such park already exists in Chennai.

Given that credit-based practices were being followed by different IITs for promotion of students,the Council agreed that academic bodies of IITs should consider acquisition of credits as criteria for movement of students and granting of degrees.