Question : REGULATION OF FEE STRUCTURE

(a) whether the Government has laid down norms for fee structure in private professional colleges/uni- versities in the country;

(b) if so, the details thereof and if not, the reasons therefor;

(c) whether these norms are being followed by such colleges/universities and if not, the action taken/ proposed to be taken against such institutions;

(d) whether the Government has evolved any mechanism to control the arbitrary fee structure in these colleges/ universities and if so, the details thereof and if not, the reasons therefor;

(e) whether the Government is planning to bring a strong legislation to curb the unethical practices by regulating admissions in such colleges/universities and if so, the details thereof; and

(f) whether the Government has set up any task force to study the admission process in such colleges/universities and if so, the outcome thereof?

MINISTER OF HUMAN RESOURCE DEVELOPMENT (SMT. SMRITI ZUBIN IRANI)

(a) to (d): As per the Supreme Court of India’s direction in the case of TMA Pai Foundation and subsequent judgments, in order to make the Higher Education affordable in the county the fee in the Private Professional Colleges is fixed by the State Fee Fixation Authorities in the States concerned. In so far as private universities and Institu- tions Deemed to be Universities are concerned, there are no UGC Regulations to decide fee structure in Institutions Deemed to be Universities and Private Universities. There is provision in the UGC (Institutions Deemed to be Univer- sities) Regulations, 2010 (as amended upto 2014) and UGC (Establishment of and Maintenance of Standards in Private Universities) Regulations, 2003 that the fee shall be in accordance with the norms/guidelines prescribed by the UGC/ Government of India. Further, the UGC’s above said Regula- tions 2010 have made it mandatory for Deemed to be Univer- sities to publish a Prospectus before commencement of admi- ssion process indicating the details of fee structure etc.

Some of the Institutions Deemed to be Universities are deciding their fee structure on the basis of ‘Fee Fixa- tion Committee’ headed by a retired Judge of High Court. Some of them are deciding it on the basis of resolutions passed by Finance Committees and approved by the Boards of Management.

(e): The UGC has amended UGC (Institutions Deemed to be Universities) Regulations, 2010 in the year 2014 and various provisions have been added to curb unethical practices in admissions in Institutions Deemed to be Universities.

Private Universities are regulated by the UGC as per the provisions contained in the UGC (Establishment of and Maintenance of Standards in Private Universities) Regu- lations, 2003. Clause 3.9 of the above Regulations is reproduced below:

“The admission procedure and fixation of fees shall be in accordance with the norms/guidelines prescribed by the UGC and other concerned statutory bodies.”

At present, the admission procedure in the Private Univer- sities is decided by the concerned State Governments.

(f): The UGC has not set up any task force to study the admission process in Institutions Deemed to be Universi- ties/Private Universities.