Jadavpur University Implements Rs 200 Annual Fee for Tech Lab for Economics Students – News18

Jadavpur University (JU), from the 2023-24 academic year, will charge an annual user fee of Rs 200 to each undergraduate economics student for computer upkeep in its new computer laboratory. Whereas, the fee for students pursuing a master’s degree in economics will be Rs 300 per year. The Telegraph reported that the fee has been reduced in response to student opposition to the proposed fee structure. Earlier, the department’s head, Saikat Sinha Roy, had recommended an annual laboratory charge of Rs 400 at a meeting of the university’s administrative council in December.

This is the first time that an arts faculty department has agreed to implement lab fees. According to a JU official, at a recent university budget meeting, a few humanities departments with laboratories were asked to think of ways to produce resources, the news outlet added.

Another official stated that the engineering and science departments demand Rs 125 and Rs 75 per month for lab expenses, respectively.

A letter that the head of the economics department wrote to then officiating vice-chancellor Amitabha Datta on July 28, read that after extensive discussion with student representatives, the department of economics has decided to reduce the annual user fees (from what was proposed). The new annual fees for computer laboratories are as follows: UG I students pay Rs 200 per year, whereas PG I students pay Rs 300 per year.

Datta, who has remained pro-vice-chancellor after being supposedly requested by the governor to resign as acting VC on Friday, told The Telegraph on Saturday: “The economics department has introduced annual user fees.”

According to a Jadavpur University official, the introduction of fees was critical for resource mobilization due to the university’s money restrictions from both state and federal government funding. The deficit recorded by Jadavpur University under non-salary heads for the fiscal year 2022-23 “is greater than the grant” obtained from the state government.

The Department of Economics, established in the year 1956, is recognised nationwide for its importance in teaching excellence and prospective research activities.