The LDF government in Kerala is all set to introduce a landmark bill in Assembly next week.he bill aims to restructure the private education sector in the state by regulating fee and admission procedures in such institutions. Through this legislation the government also wants to end the practice of charging huge capitation fee for admission and hefty tuition fees. And while there is no consensus emerging in talks between college representatives and the Education Minister on the issue, the government is determined to pass the legislation.

"We have heard what the managements had to say, we have explained to them in detail the Government position on the issue. We want to bring the legislation with discussion and agreement," said M A Baby, Minister, Collegiate Education.

Fee concerns  — The Kerala government says it will not recognise the Combined Entrance Tests (CET) conducted by the consortium of private colleges. At present these medical colleges charge Rs 1.13 lakh per student per year while engineering colleges charge Rs 38,000 per year. The government says these fees should apply to the 50 per cent management quota seats. For the merit seats it says, fees should be slashed to govt college rates of Rs 6000 for engineering students and Rs 12,000 for medical students. 

Commercialisation check — The government says the fee structure will provide poor students access to higher education, but private managements want to be adequately compensated.

"We are ready to cooperate with the government if they agree to provide us compensation required for running a professional college without losses," said George Paul, Self Financing Medical College Management Association.

"We need enough resources to run the colleges, we need enough resources to expand the colleges and we need resources to put the faculty and pay their salaries," said G P C Nair, Self Financing Medical College Management Association. In spite of the differences between the government and private managements, educational experts believe that the forthcoming legislation would bring some check on the brutal commercialisation of higher education sector in Kerala.

 

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