The Hindu : Kerala News : Talks on fee structure: differences persist

Online edition of India's National Newspaper
Wednesday, Jun 09, 2004

Kerala

Kerala

Talks on fee structure: differences persist

By Our Special Correspondent

THIRUVANANTHAPURAM, JUNE 8. The divergent perceptions of student organisations and managements on the mode of admission and fee structure in self-financing professional institutions came to the open today at separate conferences convened by the Chief Minister, A. K. Antony.

The differences clearly indicate that the State Cabinet would have a difficult time in working out a feasible and acceptable formula when it takes up the subject for discussion at its meeting on June 10.

The main area of difference was regarding the management quota, with the Association of Kerala Self-financing Engineering Colleges and the Association of Kerala Self-financing Medical, Dental, Ayurveda and Sidha Colleges demanding total freedom in carrying out admissions to the 50 per cent of seats allotted as management quota and the student organisations, cutting across political lines, opposing the proposal. The Government has, at best, succeeded in getting all sections to agree to the need for legislation on the matter, but differences persist on the finer points of law.

The associations of self-financing institutions urged the Government to bring in provisions in the proposed legislation on the income limit for those seeking admissions to these institutions under the 50 per cent merit quota so that poorer sections of society would get an opportunity to study. The student organisations wanted the Government to regulate the fee structure in the management quota, besides ensuring merit and reservation norms in the Government quota.

The managements' representatives participated in the forenoon meeting, which was attended by Ministers, K. Sankaranarayanan, K. M. Mani, P. K. Kunhalikutty, R. Balakrishna Pillai, T. M. Jacob and Babu Divakaran. The representatives of all major student organisations, including the SFI and the KSU, participated in the afternoon meeting.

The managements were willing to accept the proposed legislation to regulate the fee structure, provided the Government was willing to give the managements freedom to carry out the admissions to the management quota. The impression that the representatives of the management sought to convey to mediapersons was that they would prefer the path of conciliation rather than confrontation and legal wrangles. The representatives also made it clear that the discussions were not comprehensive and the issue had to be further discussed.

Speaking to mediapersons, George Paul of the Kolencherry Medical College, who is also the chairman of the Association of Self-financing Medical, Dental, Ayurveda and Sidha Colleges, said the Government had promised to consider their suggestions favourably. He said the associations wanted the merit quota to be redefined. He said the Government should think of an arrangement or an Ordinance that would be within the framework of the Supreme Court verdict.

He said the managements had suggested fixing an income limit of Rs. 1 lakh for admissions under the merit quota, taking cue from the Supreme Court suggestions for scholarships to the poor. According to the managements, 95 per cent of those who got admissions to self-financing institutions were those who belonged to the economically forward sections. This prevented the poorer sections from pursuing higher education.

The Chief Minister informed the two conferences that the Cabinet would examine the various suggestions before taking a decision at its next meeting.

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