Question : EXEMPTION IN FEES

(a) whether the students belonging to SCs/STs Below Poverty Line (BPL) families studying in Government as well as private engineering colleges in the country are exempted from paying fee;

(b) if not, whether the Government is likely to take any measures for total fee exemption for the said students;

(c) If so, the details thereof ;

(d) whether the Government proposes to issue similar directives to the State Governments in this regard so as to enable the children of all poor and destitute families to get quality education; and

(e) if so, the details thereof?

MINISTER OF STATE IN THE MINISTRY OF HUMAN RESOURCE DEVELOPMENT(SMT. D. PURANDESWARI)

(a) to (e) : The All India Council for Technical Education (AICTE) has laid down a scheme known as “Tuition Fee Waiver Scheme” for sons and daughters of parents having annual income of less than Rs. 2.5 lakhs per annum from all sources. All approved institutions offering undergraduate and diploma programmes are eligible for this scheme. This scheme is compulsory for Government and Government aided institutions and voluntary in nature for other institutions. Under the scheme, upto 10 percent of sanctioned intake per course shall be available for these admissions and the students admitted under this category are fully exempted for paying the tuitions fee.