Indore: Uniform Affiliation Fee Structure From Next Session Across University

Indore (Madhya Pradesh): A uniform structure of affiliation fees for the same course across all universities in Madhya Pradesh would come into force from the next session.

Bringing to an end the face-off between DAVV and RGPV, who were clashing over jurisdiction, the coordination committee for higher education in August approved a proposal for a uniform structure of affiliation fees for the same course in all state-run universities.

Following the decision, DAVV has rationalised the affiliation fee structures of BA, BCom, BSc and other courses but the same could not be implemented from session 2023-24 as colleges had obtained affiliation by June end. As the decision could not be implemented retrospectively, DAVV had decided to implement it from session 2024-25.

The affiliation fees of BA, BCom, BSc and other courses were raised by more than 100 per cent and affiliation fee of MBA colleges was also increased up to Rs 60,000.

It all started about two years ago when DAVV increased affiliation fees and imposed up to 25 per cent penalty on MBA colleges which applied for affiliation after the prescribed deadline had passed. To this, the MBA colleges united against DAVV and opposed the hike in affiliation fees and exorbitant penalties.

However, the university did not budge. As a result, six b-schools went under the umbrella of RGPV which happily granted affiliation to the management institutes from Indore. Four more followed later promoting DAVV to write to RGPV not to grant affiliation to MBA colleges under the former’s jurisdiction.

The letter, however, fell on deaf ears and RGPV admitted applications for affiliation from more colleges wishing to start MBA courses from session 2023-24. To this, DAVV lodged a complaint with the department of higher education (DHE) stating that if the college under the purview of one university was allowed to take affiliation from some other university just because of low affiliation fees, then the system in place would get disrupted.

DHE had agreed to DAVV’s point of view and consequently proposed a uniform fee for not only the MBA course but for other courses as well. The proposal was placed before the coordination committee which gave its nod to it.

“After receiving guidelines from DHE, we restructured affiliation fees for uniformity. We couldn’t implement the uniform fee proposal from this session, but we will do so from the 2024-25 session,” said Dr Rajeev Dixit, director, college development council at DAVV.