MINGORA: Hundreds of students of different colleges here on Monday staged protests against increase in examination fee by Swat University.

The students of BS programme studying in Government Postgraduate Jahanzeb College Saidu Sharif and Government Khan Shaheed Degree College Kabal took to streets against the administration of Swat University for increasing fee.

The protesters said that Swat University issued notification to their colleges about increase in examination fees. “The fee has been increased from Rs500 to Rs4,500. The total mount reaches Rs8,800 if late fee is included in it,” ” said Adnan Khalil, a student of Jahanzeb College.

Protesters ask govt to help resolve the issue

The students said that there was no fee for reappearance in a paper but the university imposed Rs1,700 fee on candidates for reappearing in one paper. They said that majority of students belonged to poor families could not afford the exorbitant fee.

“We are three brothers and all of us are students. We don’t have enough money to buy books and uniforms, where from we will arrange such a big amount for every exam,” said Adanan Yousafzai, another student.

The students said that Swat University imposed many other restrictions on them and changed the examination system, which was not acceptable to them. They demanded of the government to give Jahanzeb College the status of degree awarding institution.

Farah, a student of BS programme, said that many students got admission in Jahanzeb College for its better education system and its low fee structure. “Now increase in examination fee put us in tension and we are afraid that our parents will stop us from getting,” she said.

The students said that they would stage protest against the government if their issue was not resolved and the responsibility would with the government.

Dr Shahid Khan, the director of admission at Swat University, when contacted, said that the decision to increase examination fee was made in the syndicate meeting following the rules and regulations of University of Peshawar.

He said that the students of BS programme in all the colleges affiliated with University of Peshawar were charged the same amount for examination fees.

Published in Dawn, October 1st, 2019