Physically Challenged Students to Get Fees Waiver in IITs

Indian Institute of Technology (IIT) council has decided to waiver the fees of physically challenged students around the nation. The decision to waiver the fees were taken in a meeting of the IIT council that was headed by HRD Minister Smriti Irani. The meeting took place in Mumbai after which Irani confirmed by tweeting, “Happy to report that IIT Council has decided to waive off fees for our physically challenged students.”

The proposal of the IITs to raise the tuition fees was deferred in the meeting and the government decided to set up a committee that would examine the matter regarding the requirement of such fees hike. It would also look after the matter related to student loans and increase in scholarships for those who are in need of them. The institutes raised the issue of tuition fee hike in regard of the new funding mechanism of these institutes which makes it necessary for them to run the institute through money received from students in the form of fees. If the implementation in fees takes place the fees of the courses offered in IITs would shot up immensely and a course that is at present at Rs. 90000 would end up into Rs. 2.5 lakhs.

In the council meeting that took place in Mumbai, it was also decided that the institute would admit foreign students and preference would be given to students coming from various SAARC and African countries.  IIT council is the apex body that decides the policies that are to be included in the administration in various IITs and is headed by HRD Minister. In regard of the fee hike, the minister was not keen to divulge any opinion without examining the facts further.