Lucknow, March 9: The Uttar Pradesh government is taking strict measures to make the education system accessible, affordable, and transparent. In this regard, Higher Education Minister Yogendra Upadhyay has issued clear instructions to state universities to charge examination fees strictly according to the rates prescribed in the government order. Universities found collecting fees higher than those prescribed have also been warned of audits and necessary action.
Review meeting on fee irregularities
On Monday, Higher Education Minister Yogendra Upadhyay held a review meeting in his office at the Vidhan Sabha regarding the issue of fees being charged contrary to government orders by the University of Lucknow and its affiliated colleges.
Various aspects related to the universities’ fee structure, examination fees, and financial management were discussed in detail during the meeting.
Strict compliance with government orders
During the meeting, the Higher Education Minister directed that state universities must collect examination fees strictly as per the prescribed government order. He said, "If any university charges examination fees beyond the fixed rates, an audit may be conducted and appropriate action will be taken."
Minister Yogendra Upadhyay said, "Under the leadership of Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath, the state government is committed to making education accessible, affordable, transparent, and student-friendly."
He noted that unnecessary increases in fees create difficulties for economically weaker students in accessing education, and therefore universities should take decisions keeping students’ interests as the highest priority.
Uniform examination fee structure
According to the government order, uniformity in examination fees across state universities has been ensured by fixing semester-wise fees for various courses.
Under this, a fee of â‚ą800 per semester has been prescribed for courses such as BA, BSc, BCom, BBA, BCA, BEd, BPED, BJMC, BFA, and BVoc.
A fee of â‚ą1000 per semester has been fixed for courses like LLB, BSc Agriculture (Hons), BTech, and Biotechnology, while â‚ą1500 per semester has been prescribed for courses such as BDS, Nursing, BAMS, and BUMS.
Focus on financial discipline in universities
The Higher Education Minister also directed state universities to ensure full compliance with government orders and maintain financial discipline.
He said, "Universities should also work towards strengthening their resources, introducing new courses, and improving financial management so that institutions can become self-reliant."
Suggestions from officials and university representatives
During the meeting, officials and university representatives also presented their suggestions regarding the financial condition of universities, challenges related to the conduct of examinations, and possible solutions.
The Higher Education Minister stated that the CM Yogi government is ready to provide necessary support after considering the genuine needs of universities, but compliance with government orders is mandatory for all institutions.
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The meeting was attended by MLC Umesh Dwivedi, Avneesh Kumar Singh, Principal Secretary M. P. Agrawal, Secretary Amrit Tripathi, and the Vice-Chancellor of the University of Lucknow, Prof. Jai Prakash Saini, along with other university officials.
