Rude shock to parents as engg colleges seek transport fee

According to sources, more than 80 per cent of the popular engineering colleges in the state have a system of picking up and dropping the students through their internal transport department, with a hefty annual charge which is now a hot debate as students paid the fees last year without using the facility. And again, this year the colleges are collecting transportation charges. “Last year my college in Thandalam asked to pay Rs 40,000 as transportation charge.

The college remained closed for almost the entire academic year and we had only online classes and online exams. I never used the college bus throughout the last year. And the irony is that again this year, we are asked to pay another Rs 40,000 for the transport charges,” fumed a second-year college student wishing not to reveal her identity. “Due to COVID lockdown, my father had suffered huge financial loss in his garment store and this 40,000 is a huge task for him now,” the student rued. Most of the engineering colleges are located on the outskirts of the city and college busses are the only feasible option for the students to reach the college in the morning. Though the bus facility is punctual, the colleges collect exorbitant transport charges.

Another way of making money is the college food canteen charges, observed K Usha a retired government school teacher. Tamil Nadu being a hub for engineering colleges, such unregulated practice has been in place for more than two decades, the retired teacher added. When contacted school education secretary D Karthikeyan said that the issue will be referred to as a complaint to the fees management committee for further action. “Only the committee can decide on such transportation charges. At the same time, the higher education department will also examine the All India Council for Technical Education norms to explore the legality and possibility of what action can the state take, ” Karthikeyan added.