IIT-Madras doubles academic fees for research scholars
Research scholars at
IIT-Madras will soon
have more than just
their theses to worry
about. Starting this
June, they will have to
fork out double the
usual amount for their
academic fees.
Nearly 2,500 M.S.
students and PhD
scholars at the institute
will have to pay Rs.
8,200 as academic fees,
up from Rs. 4,100 they
paid last year.
In all, each research
scholar will have to pay
around Rs. 27,000 for
her course, instead of
Rs. 22,000
The increase has been
quite steep, say
students.
“The academic fee has
been doubled. The
authorities have also
increased gymkhana
fees that include
auditorium and sports
facilities from Rs. 100 to
Rs 1,000. Even the
hostel rent has gone up
from Rs. 550 to Rs.
2,250 a semester,” said
an M.S. student.
“They could have
increased the fee
gradually, instead of
this sudden hike,” he
added.
Students say the fee
hike was not on the
Senate meeting agenda,
and not many of them
were aware of the
proposal being floated.
“As far as M.S.
students are concerned,
they don’t even have
classes after the first
year. They don’t have
to write exams, they
just pursue their theses
and leave the institution
once they finish it. What
is the point of charging
them extra fees for
facilities they don’t
use?” asked another
student.
It was only a few
months ago that all
IITs hiked fees for
undergraduate
students by 80 per cent
— from Rs. 50,000 a
year to Rs. 90,000.
Dean Prof. L.S. Ganesh,
said the decision to hike
the fees was taken at
a meeting of deans held
at IIT–Roorkee recently.
The hike was primarily
to standardise fees
across all IITs, and
student bodies were
consulted before the
decision was taken. The
hikes for hostel and
gymkhana fees were
decided by the IIT
council, the participatory
body of all IITs, he said.
“The fee has not been
increased in over 10
years. Even now, the
rates are much lower
than those charged at
other colleges,” Prof.
Ganesh said.
IIT-Madras will soon
have more than just
their theses to worry
about. Starting this
June, they will have to
fork out double the
usual amount for their
academic fees.
Nearly 2,500 M.S.
students and PhD
scholars at the institute
will have to pay Rs.
8,200 as academic fees,
up from Rs. 4,100 they
paid last year.
In all, each research
scholar will have to pay
around Rs. 27,000 for
her course, instead of
Rs. 22,000
The increase has been
quite steep, say
students.
“The academic fee has
been doubled. The
authorities have also
increased gymkhana
fees that include
auditorium and sports
facilities from Rs. 100 to
Rs 1,000. Even the
hostel rent has gone up
from Rs. 550 to Rs.
2,250 a semester,” said
an M.S. student.
“They could have
increased the fee
gradually, instead of
this sudden hike,” he
added.
Students say the fee
hike was not on the
Senate meeting agenda,
and not many of them
were aware of the
proposal being floated.
“As far as M.S.
students are concerned,
they don’t even have
classes after the first
year. They don’t have
to write exams, they
just pursue their theses
and leave the institution
once they finish it. What
is the point of charging
them extra fees for
facilities they don’t
use?” asked another
student.
It was only a few
months ago that all
IITs hiked fees for
undergraduate
students by 80 per cent
— from Rs. 50,000 a
year to Rs. 90,000.
Dean Prof. L.S. Ganesh,
said the decision to hike
the fees was taken at
a meeting of deans held
at IIT–Roorkee recently.
The hike was primarily
to standardise fees
across all IITs, and
student bodies were
consulted before the
decision was taken. The
hikes for hostel and
gymkhana fees were
decided by the IIT
council, the participatory
body of all IITs, he said.
“The fee has not been
increased in over 10
years. Even now, the
rates are much lower
than those charged at
other colleges,” Prof.
Ganesh said.
Comments