(a) whether the Planning Commission has recommended to make higher education more expensive;
(b) if so, the details thereof alongwith the reasons therefor;
(c) whether the Government has accepted the said recommendations; and
(d) if so, the basis thereof?
MINISTER OF STATE IN THE MINISTRY OF HUMAN RESOURCE
DEVELOPMENT
(SMT. D. PURANDESWARI )
(a) & (b): In the XI Plan document, the Planning
Commission has, inter-alia, suggested that since most
university students come from top 10% of the population
by income levels, they would be able to pay fees
amounting to 20% of the operating cost of general higher
education. The fees for professional courses could be
much higher. The fee levels should, therefore, be
increased gradually in existing institutions but the new
norms could be implemented in new institutions from the
start.
(c) & (d): The University Grants Commission (UGC) has
constituted a Committee to formulate regulations for
admission and fee structure for self-financing, private,
professional institutes including deemed to be
universities, and also for self-financing and aided
courses in aided Universities/Colleges.