AP offers partial fee hike

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Putting the ball in the court of engineering colleges by offering a partial fee hike, the state government on Saturday indicated that Eamcet counselling for engineering candidates would begin on August 6. The Eamcet results were announced on June 29, but the government has so far failed to start counselling sessions for B.Tech admissions due to a row over the fee hike. In an effort to reach a “consensus” with the managements of engineering colleges, the government has now sent feelers, saying it is ready to raise fees for merit quota seats from Rs 31,000 to Rs 35,000. But this would be done, provided the managements withdraw their demand for a common fee for seats under both convenor and management quotas, which amounts to Rs 50,000. The college managements are expected to respond to the proposal by Monday.

Deputy chief minister Damodar Raja Narasimha, who holds the portfolio of higher education, convened a meeting with officials of the higher and technical education departments on Saturday to break the deadlock. Nim-maturi Ramesh, general secretary of the Consortium of Engineering and Professional Colleges Man-agement Associations, was present in the meeting.

Sources say the government is ready to effect a fee hike ranging from 40 per cent to 150 per cent in 130 engineering colleges, which submitted audited financial statements. For the remaining 500 colleges in the state, the government is willing to consider a fee hike up to Rs 35,000 for convenor quota seats (category-A), provided the managements do not press for a common fee for both convenor and management quota (category-B) seats. “Our aim is to begin Eamcet engineering counselling from August 6,” said Mr Narasimha.