HC directs govt to submit report on non-fixation of committee

The Madras High Court today directed the Commissioner of Technical Education, Tamil Nadu, to file a report stating why a fee fixation committee could not be constituted till date for polytechnic colleges.
Justice V Ramasubramanyan also directed the concerned authorities, including Principal Secretary, Adi Dravidar and Tribal Welfare Department, to submit a report by August 18 on non-formation of the committee.
In its petition, Tamil Nadu Unaided Polytechnic Management Association prayed for revising applicability of a government order dated September 11, 2012, on granting concession under centrally-assisted scheme and the amount of reimbursement of fees to the students of payment quota seats and under free quota seats until a proper fee committee for polytechnic colleges is fixed by the government.

The Association contended that as per the Supreme Court order, no mandatory fee committee has been fixed by the government till date.
The Association said that unlike the other professional colleges, there is no management quota or free quota for polytechnic colleges. Hence, the colleges of their Association till date were collecting a fees of Rs 30,000 per annum from students irrespective of their caste as per the orders passed by the government dated February 23, 2003.
However, a government order was issued by Adi Dravidar and Tribal Welfare Department on July 11, 2012 fixing the fees in respect of the students of SC/SCA/ST/SCC as Rs 6,500 per annum in case of free quota and Rs 21,500 in the case of payment quota seats.