There have been reports in some Assamese dailies that educational institutes which are charging full fees for the lockdown period will be penalized by the government. Therefore, I would like to know if the concession is applicable only in schools or in colleges also. Due to the lockdown many students are finding it difficult to pay the staggering fee amounts charged by private institutions and the reason why I write this letter because in certain private nursing colleges in Guwahati despite the students requesting the management to give concession in fees for the lockdown period by exempting the fees for mess, electricity, water, transport and library or at least not charge late fines on the fees submitted, the fees are being collected without any concession, including late fines. It must be noted that the hostels of many such colleges have already been vacated since the later part of March and only online classes are being held. The fees charged are often unrealistically astronomical but students and parents bear it under normal conditions. However, in such conditions as now, when the whole country is under extreme financial duress, I feel that the private institutes must also show some financial concessions to the students as it is only because of students that their institutions are running. Therefore, through your esteemed daily on behalf of the parents and guardians concerned I would like to bring light on the plight of many students studying in private health institutes struggling to pay their fees.
Dr. Mollier,
Dimapur