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| 31st
July 2010 / Times of India / Bangalore Edition |
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 Foreign students hit by fee hike
Bangalore: Apart from a culture shock, foreign students coming to Bangalore University should brace themselves for another. The university has increased their eligibility fee from Rs 8,860 to Rs 25,000. Interestingly, the decision was not taken by the syndicate (the universitys highest decision-making body) as is mandatory for any fee revision.
The circular, dated July 21, 2010, a copy of which is with TOI, states that the Core Committee meeting held on July 17 has taken the decision. According to this, Rs 10,000 is charged as admission fees, Rs 10,000 as infrastructure development fee and Rs 5,000 as eligibility fee (a total of Rs 25,000) from each foreign national student for admission to various under-graduate courses from the year Rs 2010-11. There are 3,000 foreign students in the university.
On June 21, the university had informed colleges that the revised fee would be Rs 4,900, excluding Rs 3,960, the eligibility fee to be remitted while applying for eligibility certificate. The new circular revised this amount.
Shockingly, Bangalore University vice-chancellor Dr N Prabhu Dev admitted they have not approached the syndicate, but got the permission from the academic council.
Managements and principals of BUs affiliated colleges are up in arms over the hike. Considering that most foreign students come from African and Asian countries like Uganda, Tanzania, Bhutan, Nepal and Sri Lanka and not the affluent West, they could find it tough to pay such a steep fee. Besides, many come under the Indian Council of Cultural Relations exchange programme, they say.
The circular has come too late, well after students have joined various courses. They were least prepared for it when they left home, said M Prakash, secretary, Karnataka Private Post-Graduate Colleges Association.
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