Ending a strongly contested impasse,the managements of a majority of engineering colleges in the state on Sunday agreed to stick to a uniform fee structure for merit or convener quota seats.
Managements of 577 out of 710 engineering colleges in the state agreed at a meeting to accept any fee structure for merit seats,for the year 2012-13,proposed by the Admission and Fee Regulatory Committee (AFRC).The committee is likely to propose fees ranging between Rs 31,500 to Rs 35,000 per annum for those engineering seats which are to be filled by the convener.

But the colleges in question have opposed the demand by the managements of 133 other colleges for a differential fee structure which is expected to hike their fees by 40% to 150%.
Nonetheless,it is felt that management seat fees in some colleges might witness a steep rise.About 133 colleges which are currently requesting a differential fee structure are welcome to a hike in B category (management) seat fees.But the fee for merit seats in all colleges across the state should remain the same, said KVK Rao,general secretary of the Consortium of Private Professional College Managements Association.

Fees for management quota seats might increase by over 40% this year if the demand for differential structure is taken into consideration.On Sunday,a majority of the colleges asked the state government to start the counselling process as early as possible after fixing fees.
Till July 28,a total of 240 colleges had been demanding that the government implement the recent Supreme Court order allowing colleges to charge fees commensurate with the services they offer.If this proposal for a differential fee structure were to be implemented,the fee in these colleges would see a steep hike,meaning that the state government would have to shell out a huge chunk of money to sustain its fee reimbursement scheme.
The scheme offers financial help to students from BC and economically backward communities who obtain admission to merit seats.On Sunday,however,107 colleges of the 240 which had approached the Supreme Court for differential fee structure agreed to uniform fees for merit seats.The colleges which made the somersault on fee structure are believed to be those who have failed to submit relevant documents,including balance sheets and faculty lists,as directed by AFRC.
The government should implement the SC order which allows colleges to charge fees proportionate to their expenses.Other college managements have no right to prevent a fee hike in these 133 colleges, said P Rajeswar Reddy,general secretary of the Consortium of Engineering College Managements Association,a body which is in favour of a fee hike.
To make these colleges agree to a uniform fee structure,the state government had proposed to increase fees by Rs 4,000 per student per annum.The state government is expected to take a final decision on the same on Monday.