Excelsior Correspondent
SRINAGAR, June 5: The students pursuing various professional courses in private colleges affiliated with the University of Kashmir have urged authorities to provide concessions on their tuition fee as their economic conditions have deteriorated due to the ongoing pandemic.
The students from the two premier professional colleges – SSM College of Engineering and IITM- told Excelsior that they are not in a condition to pay their semester fee as most of them belong to the middle class and their family incomes have been adversely affected by the coronavirus crisis.
“There is no classwork. We are taking online classes over reduced internet speed. When we can compromise on the quality of education why college authorities can’t offer fee concessions?” a student from SSM College said.
Last month the SSM College issued a notification wherein it asked the students to deposit the tuition fee for their online registration. “In connection with the examination process there registration return has to be submitted to the University of Kashmir for which students have to register themselves online formally. The students shall fill in the forms online and may deposit prescribed tuition fee and university registration fee,” the notification said.
The students lamented that the authorities are side-lining the issues of the students. “They are prioritizing money over our issues and forcing us to pay the tuition fee,” he said.
To worsen things for the students, one of the students said that they have been told to deposit fee for two semesters including third and fourth which amounts to Rs 50, 000. “My father has not earned a single penny for the last two months due to COVID 19 lockdown. How would I submit such a huge amount,” he said, adding that the authorities are forcing them to pay fee amid trying times.
He further stated that the authorities are also asking to pay for fresh registration in the new semester, which is adding to their miseries.
The Principal SSM College, Sajad Deen told Excelsior that they have formed a committee which would look into the matter and devise a strategy to deal with the crisis. “The committee has prepared a list of students where they have been divided on the basis of monthly income of the families. We will provide them concession based on their economic conditions,” he said, adding that their employees are planning to dedicate salary of few days for the students belonging to weaker economic sections.
Meanwhile, the students have urged Lt Governor, G C Murmu, to intervene in the matter.
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