IIT M.Tech Fee Hike: HRD Ministry issues clarification, confirms fee hike not applicable to existing students

IIT M.Tech Fee Hike Issue: HRD Ministry has issued a clarification with regards to the hike in fees for M.Tech programmes being offered at IITs. The clarification comes after several concerns were expressed by students, both existing and prospective, regarding the hike of frees for Postgraduate engineering programme offered by the premier technology institutes. Through the clarifications, the ministry has confirmed that new fee structure will not be applicable to existing students, will deter non-serious students from seeking admission.

Decision based on Reforms Committee Recommendations

Furthermore, HRD Ministry has also said that the decision to hike fees for M.Tech programme at IITs was taken after a thorough study and research on the topic by a three-member expert committee. The committee was appointed to suggest reforms to the M Tech programmes in IITs are based facts. The ministry also added that the M.Tech fee-hike was long due at IITs as the fees had not been revised for a long time even after the cost-per-student had gone up considerably.

No Fee Hike for Existing Students

Alleviating fears of existing students from IITs, the ministry said that new fee structure for M.Tech programme will not be applicable to the students who are already part of the courses. Existing students pursuing M.Tech programme at IITs will continue to pay the fees as per the old structure, until the completion of their programme.

Gradual Implementation over 3 Years

HRD Ministry also confirmed that M.Tech fee hike will be implemented by IITs, gradually, over a period of 3 years or more, even for students seeking fresh / new admission to post-graduate programmes. Furthermore, the hike in M.Tech fee won’t be applicable to all the students and needy students will be provided financial support to join M.Tech programmes at IITs, through concessions and scholarships.

Fee Hike to Arrest Drop-out Rates

In the defence of the decision to hike M.Tech programme fee for IITs, the ministry said that one of the key reasons behind hiking the fee for PG Engineering programme was to arrest the drop-out rate of M.Tech students. The ministry said that many ‘non-serious’ students take admission to M.Tech programmes being offered by the institute. Such students, after a few months of stay in IITs, leave the programme midway to take up employment or to prepare for competitive exams.  Therefore, hike of fees for M.Tech programme will discourage such students arrest wastage of coveted seats which leads to denial of admission to many other deserving candidates.