The Bihar government has enacted a new law in a massive decision to secure the students and parents against a random increase in fees to ensure that the state is given the powers to control the fees charged by the professional educational institutions in the state. The bill, which was passed by the last state assembly, gives the government powers to decide and sanction fee patterns in the private colleges and institutes in the state of Bihar.
This ruling is made under Chief Minister Nitish Kumar, whose government has contended that the fact that unregulated fees are charged by the private institutions has left a massive financial strain on families. Complaints have been raised over the years about high charges in the different heads like tuition, admission, laboratory, library, development fees, among other miscellaneous fees.
A special Fee Regulation Committee will be formed according to the new bill to evaluate and validate the fee systems submitted by the privately held professional institutions. The committee should consist of senior educationists and government officials who will review issues like infrastructure, levels of the faculty, cost of operation, and the general institution’s needs before coming up with reasonable charges.
The legislation will be directed to the privately structured professional and vocational institutions that deal in courses in the engineering, medical sciences, management and other technical streams. The institutions will be expected to make comprehensive proposals for their fee payments to be approved. Any form of violation, such as imposing charges that are not within the approved amount, may attract serious consequences from the authorities, such as penalties, as well as the possibility of having the money.
According to the government officials, the major aim of the legislation is to safeguard a transparent and equitable education system. The state will regulate profiteering by putting the private institutions under a regulatory system without sacrificing the quality of higher education.
This relocation has had its share of responses. Even though student groups and parent associations have reaped the success of the move as a huge relief, some institutions have been complaining of overly active government intervention and how this would affect the autonomy of operation.
The education professionals also think that when applied appropriately, the law may create a balance between the sustainability of institutions and student affordability. As the number of professional courses and the number of students enrolling on private colleges increases, the regulation is regarded as a major move towards eliminating unfair access to quality education in Bihar.
It can be additionally assumed that the government will enable the notification of the rules and operating guidelines in the near future, and the mechanism of fee regulation will be introduced at the state level.
