Panjab University Syndicate Approves 10 Percent Fee Hike

Panjab University had proposed a fee hike of about 10 percent beginning the next academic session of 2018-19, that has been approved by the Panjab University (PU) Syndicate. The University has agreed to a 5 percent hike in self-financial courses for the already enrolled students while 10 percent for new admissions. The matter will now move up to the Senate and the final decision will be released on May 6, 2018.

This agreement is a joint decision of members of student council and the officials of Punjab University. Along with this, for professional programmes, they proposed a 10% hike with a minimum increase of Rs.1000 in the annual fee and a minimum increase of Rs. 200 (10%) in the examination fee.

Vani Sood, the General Secretary of Panjab University Campus Students Council pointed out that final year students should not be included in the revised norms related to new tuition fee and admission fee as they hardly attend the classes or sit for the exams. She said that it is totally unfair to them.

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However, Emanual Nahar, Dean of Student Welfare, justified the agreement. As the university needs fund for students welfare and other important developments, he also added that the hike was a mutual consent between student council and members of the Panjab University.

The committee for the proposed agreement comprised of 18 members such as registrar, admissions officer, Dean of the University, President of the Teacher’s Association, among others. The head of the committee was the Vice Chancellor of the University who also closely monitored the new fee structure.

Prior to this year, Panjab University faced a heavy financial crunch which led to a 1000% hike in the programme fees. The University Grants Commission and Ministry of Human Resource Development had asked the university members to look for internal sources to raise funds.

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This even resulted in various student strikes at the campus opposing the fee hike terming it as a totally unfair and irrational decision by the committee.