Hundreds of university, colleges students waiting for fees waiver

Aurangabad, July 12:

Hundreds of students from Dr Babasaheb Ambedkar University, aided and non-aided colleges, have been waiting to get fee concession as per the instructions of the Higher Education Department (HED).

It may be noted that students pursuing undergraduate and postgraduate courses lost one or both parents due to Covid.

Many parents of students are facing financial problems because of job losses or salary cuts in a lockdown situation.

A meeting of vice-chancellors of all non-agriculture universities was held in the last week of June by Higher and Technical Education Minister to discuss the full fee waiver for UG and PG course students who lost their parents and fee concession for others.

In a letter issued to all the non-agriculture university vice-chancellors, the deputy secretary of the State Government A M Bawiskar stated that full fee should be waived to students who lost their one or both parents due to Covid.

“The aided colleges and university departments should waive gymkhana, college magazine, computer, sports, medical aid and youth festival fees.

A total of 50 per cent concession in fees of laboratory, library and e-content (if purchased) should be given. The hostels were shut down, so its fee should be waived completely. The fee of the examinations which were not conducted for the academic year 2020-21 should be adjusted for the next academic session or year. Students should be given the facility of three to four installments for pending fees.

All institutes and departments should ensure that no student faces academic loss due to pending fee,” he added.

Commenting on this, Bhartiya Vidyarthi Sena leader Dr Tukaram Saraf said that all the colleges are holding online classes in Covid situation.

“Except tuition fees, no other charges should be collected from students considering the weak financial condition of parents. All institutes should implement the Government directives about fee waiver,” he added.