ISLAMABAD: After Quaid-i-Azam University (QAU) made a twofold increase in the registration fees for its affiliated degree colleges for this semester, the educational institutions run by the Federal Directorate of Education (FDE) are in a fix, as students for the fall semester were enrolled on the basis of the previous registration fee.

There are at least 16 government colleges in the federal capital offering two-year associate degree programmes and four-year bachelor programmes. Previously, the registration fee for new students was Rs5,250, but following the hike through a recent notification, the fee has increased to Rs10,000. In addition to that, the university will also charge Rs2,500 per student under the head of ‘facilitation charges’.

Sources told Dawn the heads of the said colleges and a liaison committee of the FDE on Wednesday decided that students would not be asked for the extra fee mentioned in the said notification. It was agreed that the matter would be taken up with the QAU administration on Thursday (Oct 25) for which a meeting had already been scheduled.

“Depositing the registration fee after the 100 per cent increase is something very difficult for us... Therefore, the matter is being taken up with the QAU management,” said a college teacher.

Liaison body to take up hike, facilitate charges with varsity management today

A college principal also demanded the QAU withdraw this unjustified increase in the registration fee.

This increase came at a time when the public was already facing hyperinflation, forcing them to live from paycheck to paycheck. Due to their low fees – up to Rs30,000 for the first semester – these colleges are relatively affordable for parents compared to public-sector universities.

“Almost all public-sector universities charge from Rs70,000 to over 100,000 per semester; in some cases, more than this amount, depending on subjects. So under these circumstances, these Islamabad-based colleges were a relatively affordable choice,” said a teacher, adding the recent hike in the fees would burden inflation-hit parents.

He requested the education ministry, the Higher Education Commission (HEC), and the QAU management to look into this issue and withdraw the hike.

An officer of the university told Dawn the QAU was supposed to increase its fees by at least 5 per cent every year, but over the past few years, the university had not notified an increase. He agreed that the registration fee was increased and Rs2500 were fixed as facilitation charges. “These charges are still very low,” he claimed, referring to inflation.

QAU Registrar Dr Raja Qaisar Ahmad said that the QAU “owns all the affiliated colleges and always tries to facilitate them to promote higher education” in the country. “Let me assure you, we will look into this issue and if colleges have already received registration fees, then we will not force them to deposit the increased fee immediately; rather, we will resolve this issue amicably,” he said and added that fees revision was pending for years.

“As far as the notification you are referring to, I will look into it and we will hold a meeting with the FDE liaison committee to sort out this issue,” he said. Asked about the rationale behind the 100pc increase in the fees, he said that considering inflation, the university had no option but to increase it.

It is relevant to note the degree programmes offered by these colleges are far cheaper than other universities, including the QAU. The QAU charges Rs72,000 in its first semester for regular students, whereas those admitted on a self-finance basis are supposed to pay Rs 116,000 in the first semester.

Published in Dawn, October 26th, 2023