The Odisha Private Engineering College Association (OPECA) has demanded the State Government’s accord to a hike in fees in private engineering colleges from the forthcoming academic year.
At least 40 private engineering colleges have appealed to the Government to revise their annual fees.
"We demanded an increase the fees in the private engineering colleges from the forthcoming academic session as the fees had been last revised in several private colleges in 2010 and a revision of the fees is due this year,” said OPECA secretary Binod Dash adding, the association also urged the Fee Structure Committee to raise it suitably.
Notably, the 40 colleges, currently charging an annual fee of Rs 45,000 to Rs 68,000, are demanding a two-fold hike, citing higher course fee in Government-promoted institutions.
On the other hand, Employment and Technical Education and Training Minister Pratap Keshari Deb said, “I have no information about the fee hike proposal of the private colleges. The decision will be taken only after the recommendation of the Fee Structure Committee.”