Financial autonomy in higher education will hit poor, say experts

Experts raised their concerns about the State government's policy of granting financial autonomy to colleges

NT Correspondent

Bengaluru: A seminar on the Impact of Financial Autonomy in Higher Education was held in Bengaluru’s University of Visvesvaraya College of Engineering (UVCE) Alumni Association Hall as lecturers and educational experts raised concerns about the policy.

In the process of forming the Indian Institute of Technology (IIT) model for UVCE, experts raised their concerns about the State government's policy of granting financial autonomy to colleges and the dangers that it would pose to higher education as poorer students would be left out due to high fees under self-financing courses.

Professor MN Srihari, Alumni of UVCE and advisor for smart cities project, said: “If a prestigious college, like UVCE, is converted into a self-financed institution, only those with money will be able to study. The fight against educational financial autonomy should involve students, teachers and parents.” “The goal of modeling UVCE as an IIT is good. But the government should not shy away from the responsibility of providing funds under the guise of autonomy,” he added.

Retired principal and educationist who focuses on engineering Professor B Narayanappa said: “After producing many eminent engineers and scientists, now UVCE is becoming commercial only because of the negligence of the government and officials.” The experts and student organisations agreed that UVCE should remain a source of education for the poor who harbour ambitions of pursuing engineering