Ahmedabad: Controversy erupted at Gujarat University after the vice-chancellor announced fee increases for BBA and BCA colleges even before its new fee committee could get down to work. GU increased the fees for BBA and BCA colleges by up to Rs 2,500, triggering discussions about the process.
The committee, headed by a retired judge, was set up to oversee fee structures across the university’s disciplines and its affiliated self-financed colleges.
The committee includes a chartered accountant, who is tasked with examining the financial aspects of institutions requesting fee increases, including their revenue streams, operational costs and staff remuneration, to assess the legitimacy of such requests. The standard operating procedure requires self-financed colleges to submit their fee increase proposals to the committee for evaluation.
However, the VC’s decision to announce the fee increase even before the committee could initiate its review process has raised questions about the committee’s authority.
Sources indicate this premature announcement has reduced the committee’s role to a mere formality. The VC’s subsequent clarification that the new fee structure had received in-principle approval has further complicated matters, effectively leaving the committee with no choice but to endorse the already-announced fee hike.
