B Pharm: Government urged to withdraw fee hike

The SFI state Secretariat has demanded the State Govt to withdraw the decision to increase tuition fees in self-financing BPharm courses.  In a statement issued here on Wednesday the SFI said the right to decide fees in self-financing colleges rested with the PA Mohammed Commission. It was sidelining the Commission, that the State Govt was going ahead with indiscriminate fee hike.

 The SFI alleged that the hike was announced after the managements held a secret meeting with Health Minister V S Sivakumar. It was a result of this meeting that the exorbitant hike was effected, raising the fees from Rs 39,000 to Rs  85,000, they alleged. This was decided even after overlooking the fact that the tuition fees as per this year’s prospectus was Rs 39,000. In contrast, the tuition fees in govt colleges was only Rs 20,000 as against the Rs 85,000 of the self-financing colleges. If this  hike was not withdrawn, SFI warned that they would go ahead with strong protests.