NSUI Slams IGNOU Fee Hike, Calls It 'Grant-Cut Policy Of Government'
New Delhi:
Student wing associated with the congress party, the National Students' Union of India (NSUI) today slammed the fee hike in IGNOU and ascribed the open university's move to the "grant-cut policy of the BJP government". According to a statement released by the student body, the move will make accessibility to higher education in the country difficult for children from the weaker sections.
Indira Gandhi National Open University (IGNOU) has recently released the notification for various under graduate and post graduate courses' admission. A total of 163 courses will see a raise of 10-20 per cent in fees once the decision is implemented in January 2018, an IGNOU official told IANS.
NSUI in its statement said higher education is a means to bring social change in the direction of social justice. But, the organisation said this change cannot be achieved with such increase in students' fees resulting from the grant-cut policy of the BJP government.
"The programme of IGNOU largely caters to the students in remote and rural areas. This university with courses in distance education mode caters mainly to SC, ST, OBC, women and economically backward students. This is going to make accessibility of these weaker sections' students to the higher education difficult. In India higher education is a means to bring social change in the direction of social justice. But this cannot be achieved with such increase in students' fees resulting from the grant - the cut policy of the BJP government," said the statement.
The organisation alleged that the move was forced by the Finance Ministry's office memorandum to cut 30 per cent grants for central universities, issued this year on January 13.
NSUI demanded an immediate withdrawal of this fee hike in IGNOU.
It also demanded not to implement the OM in central Universities and restore the central assistance to the state universities.
(With Inputs from IANS)
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Indira Gandhi National Open University (IGNOU) has recently released the notification for various under graduate and post graduate courses' admission. A total of 163 courses will see a raise of 10-20 per cent in fees once the decision is implemented in January 2018, an IGNOU official told IANS.
NSUI in its statement said higher education is a means to bring social change in the direction of social justice. But, the organisation said this change cannot be achieved with such increase in students' fees resulting from the grant-cut policy of the BJP government.
"The programme of IGNOU largely caters to the students in remote and rural areas. This university with courses in distance education mode caters mainly to SC, ST, OBC, women and economically backward students. This is going to make accessibility of these weaker sections' students to the higher education difficult. In India higher education is a means to bring social change in the direction of social justice. But this cannot be achieved with such increase in students' fees resulting from the grant - the cut policy of the BJP government," said the statement.
The organisation alleged that the move was forced by the Finance Ministry's office memorandum to cut 30 per cent grants for central universities, issued this year on January 13.
"It has been reported that Office Memorandum (OM) of Department of Expenditure Ministry of Finance dated 13, Jan 2017 inflicting 30% grant cut for central universities has triggered this fee hike. Even the state universities are going to face severe fund crunch with the central assistance being reduced to 50% under 7111 Pay Commission from 80% under 6' Pay Commission of UPA regime," the statement added.Emulating the Gujarat Model of Education: Steel Hike in Fees for IGNOU pic.twitter.com/6SU3bKSxNJ
- NSUI Sandesh (@NSUI_Sandesh) December 11, 2017
NSUI demanded an immediate withdrawal of this fee hike in IGNOU.
It also demanded not to implement the OM in central Universities and restore the central assistance to the state universities.
(With Inputs from IANS)
Click here for more Education News
