New Delhi: The University Grants Commission (UGC) has proposed to set up a high-powered committee to regulate fees charged by private aided and unaided institutes.
The fee approved by the five-member committee for each of the professional programme and for different category of students will be communicated to the institutions well before the commencement of the admission process.
No institution shall charge capitation fee in any form, the draft UGC (Fees in professional education imparted by private aided and unaided institutions deemed to be universities) Regulations, 2019 has said. The rules have made provisions for more than one committee if required.
The commission, which examined the draft rules at a meeting in October this year, has put them in public domain for feedback from various stakeholders. The commission in its note has made it clear that no capitation fee shall be charged from a student, citing Supreme Court ruling in this regard.
The draft rule says that the institution shall charge from the student only the fee that has been approved by the committee.
Significantly, it makes it clear that lodging, boarding, transport, books etc shall be optional and not compulsory for students to avail.
It further states that the approved fee shall be payable by the students at the time of admission for not more than one semester where the professional programme is semester-based. Likewise, where the programme follows an annual calendar, the fee shall not be charged for more than one year.
The return on investment or revenue surplus shall be utilised only for the development and expansion of the institution. It shall not be diverted or expanded for any other purpose.
According to the draft rules, the fee approved by the fee committee at any time shall be valid for three years. Any changes will come into effect at the time of new admission.
Composition of the committee:
An eminent educationist who has been a vice-chancellor or head of a statutory national regulatory body appointed by the UGC chairman
An educationist of eminence
A nominee of the statutory national regulatory authority
An expert with a standing of at least 10 years in the field of cost accountancy or institutional finance
An officer of UGC not below the rank of joint secretary.