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| JU's allied courses trading high on unstructured fees | | | ARTEEV SHARMA
EARLY TIMES REPORT
JAMMU, Apr 16: In sharp contrast to its objective of diversifying and providing educational opportunities far beyond the close confines of a classroom, Jammu University's certain allied courses catering to academic and professional pursuits of the students have a fee structure burdening the learners. This apparently is for an "open business" traded by the institution with no stipulation attached to it.
A careful study of the fee structure for different courses offered through Directorate of Distance Education, University of Jammu reveals some unethical demeanor that calls for an opinion in an open debate.
For instance, Post Graduate Course in Sociology's Semester I and II having put up a gross fees of Rs 4470 inclusive of Rs 2000 as instructional and academic fee, besides certain overheads like Computer Lab fee Rs 200, Development fee Rs 300, infrastructure fund Rs 200 etc amounting to rest of the amount, which are of no "direct benefit" to the students in the process, is an extra burden which do not call for any query from any quarter.
"An addendum of Rs 700 under the overhead fee as Personnel Conduct Programme (PCP) other than Rs 2000 as academic fee is being charged by the university in this regard which is appeared to be of no use to the students while pursuing these courses. It is probably be the alternative to shelve money from the students," official sources said.
They further said, "A supplement amount of Students Support Fee that too does not have a defined conduct is also charged under many faculties' programmes in this regard, being eyewash against which a student cannot raise its voice due to the fear for not getting his course completed or the admission rejected while putting in any rider against his documents."
Similarly, if one goes through the fee structure of M.Com course I and II Semester, the University has fixed a gross fees of Rs 2890 comprising Rs 200 as infrastructure fund, Rs 50 as reading room fee, Rs 50 NSS fee and Rs 70 as seminar and viva voce fee.
Such is the state of art in the Jammu University's working that even the clerical staff or the officials waiting upon these fee structures have no idea of what is being charged on what account and the process is going on unabated.
"I am unable to understand that why the DDE is charging NSS, Library and Academic fee from students like me who belong to far flung places. It is quite strange that students have to pay extra money unnecessarily. Since we are pursuing the courses through distance education mode, the question of attending NSS camps or using Library books never arises. We only come here as and when there is a Personal Contact Programmes (PCPs) which is generally being conducted in an overcrowded hall," Anita Sharma (name changed), a student pursuing Post Graduate course through DDE lamented.
Vikas Sharma, president National Secular Forum (NSF) said, "The Distance Education system should be academically sound and economically viable for the students who purse education through the Directorate. The inclusion of overhead charges generally burdens the learners and it invites for an open business traded by the institution."
While the students have already been paying unnecessary charges, the decision of university authorities to enhance the fee structure would create more troubles for the students, Sharma said.
"If you go through the fee structure you will find that the regular students are being charged less as compared to the students pursuing their education through Directorate of Distance Education," he asserted, adding that the university should re-think before any enhancement of fee structure.
"Instead of putting extra burden, the system of learning should be a blessing for those who have no access to education," he said.
Talking to the Early Times, Meenakshi Kilam, Director Distance Education (DDE) University however, said, "Our fee structure for different courses is still very low as compared to sister university i.e University of Kashmir. For instance, we have fixed around Rs 3000 as fee for Post Graduate course in English while the Kashmir University is charging Rs 10,000 for it."
"I amused when you asked me about the fee structure. What did you find wrong in our fee structure? Even the evaluators have been demanding hike in their charges for checking papers and other assignments since long. The university has yet not taken any decision in this regard so far," she maintained.
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