Four-fold hike in IIT fees soon

The Indian Institutes of Technology (IIT) Council on Wednesday decided on a four times hike in fees from 2013 onwards for students who are not from economically and socially backward classes. But, the extra fee will have to be paid once students get a job.


The annual fee that the students pay for the four-year Bachelors of Technology (B.Tech) course is R50,000. The IIT council gave in principle agreement to increase the fees to Rs2 lakh per annum from 2013.


The increase in fees will not be charged during academic year. “Only when a student is gainfully employed, except as faculty or in research, the extra amount will have to be paid back in installments,” said HRD minister Kapil Sibal.


The decision will impact about 25% admissions in IITs. The increase will not apply to students from reserved categories. The government will also pay the extra fees for students whose parents' yearly income is less than Rs4.5 lakh.  


For the rest, Sibal said, "It will be responsibility of the employer to pay back the remaining fees.” Each student will have a DMAT system, modalities will be worked out in the next one year.



The decision is based on the report of Anil Kakodkar on taking IITs to Excellence and Greater Relevance submitted in April this year. The panel had made several recommendations on providing administrative and financial autonomy to the IITs which was discussed at the council meeting.



The committee recommended upfront increase in fees which the council rejected and decided for the payback system.



The ministry will notify the final decision only after approval of the finance ministry. “As the decision has financial implications finance ministry’s approval will be required,” Sibal said.


  
The council also decided to set up a task force to look into the issue of suicides in the IITs and recommend preventive steps to check it. The council also approved IIT-Delhi's proposal to have extension campus in the NCR.


Source: hindustantimes.com