Exam fee waived for students in drought-hit areas, Nagpur University to lose up to Rs 7 crore

The state government has decided to exempt students in areas declared drought-hit from examination fees. The decision will directly affect the income that Rashtrasant Tukadoji Maharaj Nagpur University earns from exam fees. The Higher and Technical Education Department has directed that no exam fee be collected from students in drought-hit areas for the coming examinations.

While the move brings relief to students, it will strain the university's finances. Within the university's jurisdiction, Nagpur and Wardha districts, and Tirora taluka in Gondia district, fall in the drought-affected area. With the fee waived for students there, the university's income from exam fees is likely to fall.

According to the available figures, about 2.5 lakh students sit for first-year examinations at the university every year, and exam fees bring in roughly Rs 35 crore. The number of students in drought-hit talukas is estimated at about 50,000. If these 50,000 students get the waiver, they make up about 20 per cent of first-year examinees.

Estimating exam fee income on the same proportion, the theoretical impact on the university's income could be up to about Rs 7 crore. However, the actual shortfall will depend on the type of fee, the course and the number of eligible students. The number of students in the university's area across Nagpur, Wardha and Gondia districts is said to be about 1.25 lakh. Of these, only children of farmers and farm labourers in talukas declared drought-hit will get the waiver.

Higher and Technical Education Minister Chandrakant Patil held a review meeting on the issue with the vice-chancellors, pro-vice-chancellors and registrars of all public universities in the state, and the principals of colleges. Against this background, the Directorate of Higher Education has issued a circular on the fee waiver to give relief to students in the areas concerned. Under it, eligible students will not be charged exam fees for the first-semester examinations to be held in November-December. The university administration will soon issue a notification for colleges.

All 14 talukas of Nagpur district fall within the university's jurisdiction. In Wardha district these are Wardha, Selu, Deoli, Arvi, Samudrapur and Hinganghat; in Gondia district, Tirora; and in Bhandara district, Pauni, Lakhandur and Bhandara also come under the university.