'Students pay prescribed fees in SFCs'

Chennai, Aug 24: Higher Education Minister K Ponmudi today said the surprise checks conducted by officials in self-financing colleges had ensured that 90 per cent of the students admitted to engineering courses under the Government quota pay the fees prescribed by the Government.

Talking to newspersons here, he said the drive against collection of capitation and tuition fee in excess of what had been prescribed would continue to save students from making unnecessary payments.

Stating that for the first time such serious steps were taken to ensure collection of fees prescribed by the Government, Mr Ponmudi said though 100 per cent success could not be achieved this year, the situation would be set right in the coming year.

Asked whether the Government had written to the AICTE, seeking the derecognition of those colleges, which were found violating the prescribed fee norms, the Minister said evidences against the colleges were being collected and scrutinised. Once the work was over, the Government would write to the AICTE.

Regarding the current status of admissions to the engineering colleges, the Minister said 42,200 students were admitted till August 22. The counselling would be held till September three and those, who have applied for engineering courses would get seats, as there were 25,000 seats available, he added.

He said though all students were unable to get colleges of their choice, all of them would get seats. As far as the vocational courses are concerned, the number of 600 seats had been increased to 2,400 this year, and the counselling for these seats would commence from September five, he added.

Mr Ponmudi said while intimation for counselling was sent to 59,196 candidates, 42,528 attended the counselling so far.

Referring to the allegation of Puthiya Tamizhagam (PT) president Dr Krishnasamy on filling up of the backlog vacancies for Scheduled Castes and Scheduled Tribes candidates for the post of college lecturers, the Minister said Government Order for filling up these vacancies was issued on July five. As per the Government Order the vacancies would be filled up in three phases, he added.

The Minister said the process of recruitment of college lecturers were being done in a transparent manner and the appointments would be made only on the basis of merits.

UNI