Cut Throat Competition in Higher Education : Lok Sabha Q & A

CUT THROAT COMPETITION IN HIGHER EDUCATION

Will the Minister of EDUCATION be pleased to state:

(a) whether there is cut-throat competition in higher education due to fewer number of seats in Government institutes and heavy donation and capitation fee charged by the private institutes directly or indirectly;

(b) if so, the details thereof?

(c) steps taken to address the problem of donation and capitation fee in private educational institutes; and

(d) the manner in which the Government proposes to impart higher education to all eligible aspirants?.

(SHRI RAMESH POKHRIYAL ‘NISHANK’)

(a) and (b): There is a growing demand of quality educational institutions in the country and seats for admission in Govt. institutions are fixed and limited. The seats are  determined, keeping in view of availability of physical infrastructure, faculty position, financial resources etc. So far as donation and capitation fee is concerned, various provisions have already been made to curb the practice of charging capitation fee or any other form of profiteering by Institutions. The regulatory bodies in higher education i.e. UGC and AICTE have issued regulations and guidelines on this.

(c) and (d): The University Grants Commission Act, 1956 provides that no candidate secures admission to such course of study by reason of economic power and thereby prevents a more meritorious candidate from securing admission to such course of study.

According to UGC (Institutions Deemed to be Universities) Regulations, 2019, “No institution deemed to be university shall, for admission in respect of any course or programme of study conducted in such institution, accept payment towards admission fee and other fees and charges:-

(a) which is a capitation fee or donation in whatever nomenclature or form, either directly or indirectly;

(b) other than such fee or charges for such admission, which has been declared by it in the prospectus for admission against any such seat, and on the website of the institution;

(c) more than the fee prescribed by the fee committee constituted as per fee regulations issued by the Commission;

(d) Without a proper receipt in writing issued for such payment to the concerned student admitted in such institution. In accordance with the provisions stipulated above, the UGC has prepared a draft University Grants Commission (Fees in professional education imparted by private aided and unaided institutions deemed  to be  universities) Regulations, 2019. These Regulations are formulated to regulate the fees and prohibit capitation fees in private Deemed to be Universities. These Regulations are at a draft stage and shall be finalized on receipt of comments from various Statutory Council(s).

All India Council of Technical Education (AICTE) has called upon students, parents and the general public not to pay any capitation fee or any other fee other than that mentioned in the Prospectus of the institutions for consideration of admission through advertisement/public notice from time to time. Aggrieved students/parents can send their complaint to Grievance Redressal Committee of the Institution and, if not satisfied with the decision of the Committee, they can send appeal to the Ombudsman.

In order to provide higher education to all deserving cases, Government has also introduced several scholarship schemes, including tuition fee waiver, for the disadvantage sections of the population and students with special needs.