The Association of Managements of Aided Polytechnic Colleges has written to Prime Minister Narendra Modi, seeking financial relief.
Citing the COVID-19 pandemic, the association’s members sought soft loans for students to help them pay fees and buy computers, and interest-free loans for institutions to help them pay salaries. They sought ₹50,000 crore for an estimated 50 lakh students pursuing engineering, hotel management, pharmacy, management and technical courses.
President of the association C. Valliappa said the government had come to the aid of the MSME sector but had forgotten the education sector.
He cited the AISHE 2018-19 survey and said: “Enrolment in higher education sector is estimated at 3.74 crore young Indians, out of which 50 lakh students, the highest number, is enrolled in engineering and technology stream. This includes students of polytechnics, engineering, technology, hotel management, pharmacy and management studies. The annual expenditure on running these education institutions comes to nearly ₹50,000 crore.”
Up to 77% of the colleges in the private sector depended on the fees collected from students. Also, over 60% of the higher education institutions in the country were in the rural areas, Mr. Valliappa said, adding that the pandemic had resulted in a backlog in fee collection for the academic year 2019-20.
