Intermediate fees in AP all set to increase

With the state government constituting a high-level committee on Saturday, the stage is set for an increase in the fee structure of Intermediate courses in private and government-aided junior colleges across the state.

The committee will suggest the quantum of hike to be effected from the next academic year (2011-12).

The fee structure was last revised in 1997 and a hike of 10 per cent was being effected every subsequent year since then based on the inflation rate. Managements of private junior colleges, however, had been demanding a 300 per cent hike arguing that the existing fee structure was “very low”.

In this backdrop, the government has constituted a five-member committee to deal with the subject.

In 1996 the fee for First Year was only `105, which was doubled to `210 in 1997. Similarly the fee for Second Year was doubled to `420 in 1997 from `210.

Currently in aided colleges, the fee for First Year is `601 and `660 for the Second Year while it is `1,201 and `1,321 respectively in private junior colleges.

It is, however, an open secret that the corporate colleges, which account for 70 per cent of the total Intermediate students, charge anywhere between `20,000 to `1 lakh depending on the facilities and coaching they offer. These colleges train students for national-level competitive exams like IITJEE, JIPMER, Aiims and AIEEE apart from Eamcet.