Hyderabad: Stung by fee hike, Engineering students stage protest

Hyderabad: Engineering students from various colleges along with student union leaders staged a protest in front of the Telangana State Council of Higher Education (TSCHE) office on Monday against the hike in engineering fee and demanded to set up a special committee for infrastructural development in engineering college.

The protestors alleged that engineering colleges are only interested in increasing the fee and not bothered to develop the colleges by constructing proper labs, and classrooms and recruiting sufficient teaching staff.

They alleged that recently Telangana Admissions and Fee Regulatory Committee reported that there has been no increase in fees, but it is unfortunate that the private engineering colleges approached the court and got a verdict to increase the fees. Students demanded the management stop quota admissions in private engineering colleges.

Shiva Kumar, an engineering student and one of the protestors, said, "Not only private colleges but also government engineering colleges have hiked the fees. Earlier admission fees for regular courses in government engineering colleges in the State were between Rs 18,000 to Rs 35,000. But now it has increased to around Rs 35,000 to Rs 50,000. For self-financing courses, the fees are around Rs 1 lakh, and for courses like Artificial Intelligence, it is around Rs 1.20 lakh."

"the first phase of counseling has already begun and very soon our classes will also begin. The Education department is least bothered to take stern action on the colleges that have increased the fees. We have given many representations to concerned officials but all felt in ears," said R Anil, another engineering student.

"Engineering colleges never think of its engineering students. The authorities are taking decisions without paying attention to the problems faced by students. Paying high fees without having any proper infrastructure is not justified.

No inspection was also conducted it see whether all the colleges are well equipped. A protest was organized by TSCHE and demanded the education department to set up a special committee for inspecting infrastructural development in the colleges," said Manikanta, state president, of the All India Students' Federation (AISF).