Shillong, Apr 6: The Hynñiewtrep Youths Council (HYC) has expressed strong opposition to the proposed student fee hike in government colleges.
In a memorandum to Education Minister Lahkmen Rymbui, the HYC said that this decision is not only unjust and regressive but also profoundly anti-student, as it disproportionately burdens economically disadvantaged students and those from rural and marginalised backgrounds.
The pressure group said government colleges were established with the fundamental objective of ensuring equitable and affordable access to higher education for all sections of students, irrespective of financial capability. Such a move will inevitably contribute to rising dropout rates and deepen educational inequality in the state, it added.
Any argument that the fee increase will make the institutions financially independent is wholly unacceptable to the HYC, which said that financial autonomy must not come at the cost of accessibility and inclusiveness. It remains the primary responsibility of the government to adequately fund and strengthen public educational institutions, rather than transferring this burden onto students and their families, it added.
The organisation also did not accept the argument that scholarships will offset the impact of the fee hike as scholarship disbursements are often delayed, leaving students in financial distress for extended periods.
