JNTUH students call for digital fee system

Student leaders allege corruption by private colleges

Student leaders of the Jawaharlal Nehru Technological University, Hyderabad, have approached university officials demanding the digitisation of exam fee payments and distribution of examination admit cards.

On January 19, students approached university officials and the director of evaluation and asked them to change the exam fee collection system.

Students said digitising fee payments and the distribution of examination admit cards would help students by bringing about transparency at all private engineering colleges.

The students alleged that there are a lot of colleges where managements collect excess fees in the name of placement drives and project fees, and even refuse admit cards if students don’t pay up. There are also many cases where colleges refuse to disburse exam admit cards without specific reasons, they said.

JNTUH JAC president Surender Thallapelly said: “JNTUH officials must understand the difficulties faced by students of private engineering colleges. The university should also admit the reality of extortion by private engineering colleges and implement this system immediately so that the burden on students decreases. When the entire country is moving toward a system of digital payments, why can’t a technological university go digital?”

Students claim that this change will not only solve many problems of students but will also become an example for other universities.

“Digitisation of the exam fee collections and hall ticket distribution would help students as many private colleges are demanding more fees than what is payable to JNTUH. We will also take this proposal to the Chief Minister and the education minister of Telangana,” Shashidhar Vuppala, a former JNTUH student, said.

Meanwhile, JNTUH’s director of evaluation Dr B. Anjaneya Prasad said: “Whenever we get any complaint from students against private engineering colleges we immediately launch a probe. But we can’t take action as we don’t yet have proof. If we get proof against these colleges, we will definitely take action against colleges that are collect excess exam fees from students.

He added: “We will also consider the students’ proposal as we are also going in the same direction. But changes cannot be made overnight. It needs time.”