PANAJI: The state government has decided to waive 50% tuition fees for general stream degree programme students during the current academic year in view of the pandemic, chief minister Pramod Sawant announced on Friday.
The move is set to benefit around 40,000 students of BA, BSc and BCom programmes in 36 aided and government colleges.
“In view of the ongoing pandemic and prevailing extraordinarily difficult circumstances, the government has taken the decision to waive off 50% of tuition fees, gymkhana fees and cultural fees for the current academic admission in all colleges under the purview of the directorate of higher education, Goa,” Sawant announced on his social media handles.
The tuition fees, gymkhana fees and cultural fees combined, charged in aided and government colleges for BA, BSc, BCom students annually, adds upto approximately around Rs 4,000-5,000. Institutes said that many students, especially those coming from rural areas, have been finding it difficult to pay the fees since the pandemic.
Institute heads said that the move to waive off 50% of the fees will benefit many students in this scenario. “Students, especially whose parents were employed in the unorganised sector, are finding it difficult to pay the fees since the pandemic. This decision by the state will greatly benefit such students,” said principal of DM’s College, Assagao, DB Arolkar.
The process of admission and readmission is presently on in colleges as the new academic year 2021-22 for general stream programmes is set to begin from September 1.
