Tech students need Rs 50,000 cr relief: TN association to PM Modi

NEW DELHI: The Association of Managements of Aided Polytechnic Colleges, Tamil Nadu, has sought financial relief of Rs 50,000 crore from the central government on Wednesday.

The relief money has been requested for the benefit of 50 lakh students pursuing higher education in engineering, technology, hotel management, pharmacy and management courses.

In a letter addressed to prime minister Narendra Modi, the association requested financial aid especially for students located in rural parts of India.

“The financial relief package would enable students to meet their fee obligation to colleges and purchase computers with internet to pursue studies in the coming semesters in e-learning mode,” C Valliappa president of the association said in an official statement.

Aid for rural students

Due to the outbreak of coronavirus and the lockdown, many students are struggling to pay for their education.

“Nearly, 77.8 % of colleges in the country are privately managed, comprising 64.3% un-aided and 13.5% aided. These privately managed colleges entirely depend on the fee collected from 18 to 23-year olds,” the statement added.

The letter highlighted that the “fee-paying capacity of students enrolled in 39,931 colleges and 10,725 standalone higher education institutions” has been massively affected due to the coronavirus crisis. It has also resulted in a backlog of fee collection for the current academic session.

The financial assistance from the central government will also be utilised to “support the livelihood of estimated million-plus teaching, administrative and support staff” the letter added.

Quoting the AISHE 2018-19 survey, the letter pointed out that a major chunk of the students enrolled in the higher education sector are studying engineering course. “The annual expenditure on running these education institutions comes to nearly Rs 50,000 crore,” it further said.

The association has further requested for providing soft loans for students to pay fees and buy computers to access online classes.

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