St Xavier’s drops ‘tatkal’ shocker on its students

The college not only collects five to ten times more than prescribed fees for transfer certificate and other documents, it also collects Rs 500 from students who want them quickly; Xavier’s is the only college in city to charge its students parking fee

Yogesh Avasthi

Posted On Thursday, September 06, 2012

Students at St Xavier’s College are an agitated lot as the institution, though well-endowed and receiving grant from the state, is charging them fees for certificates several times more than what Gujarat University has prescribed and other colleges collect. Besides, the students who need these documents quickly have to pay up to Rs 500. Normally, a certificate is issued in three working days to a week. However, according to ‘token charges for transaction for documents’ that came into effect on July 1, certificates can be made available to students in two days if they pay an additional Rs 250, and in aday if they pay Rs 500.

This is in addition to the college asking for Rs 50 for transfer certificate and Rs 100 for certificate for migration whereas the fee prescribed by the university for both is Rs 10. For recommendation letters, which other colleges normally issue for free, St Xavier’s demands Rs 100. The college also charges its students a parking fee, something no other college in the city does. Said Mahendrasinh Chaudhary, a student, “Not only is the college collecting more than the prescribed fees for certificates which students require from time to time, but through notice it says that they cannot approach the principal for any concession in the matter. Not all students are rich and it is not possible for all of them to pay so much more for such routine certificates.”
The college even collects Rs 50 for duplicate receipts or photocopy charges if more than one copy of a certificate is needed, he added. According to the principal of a city college, the university has finalised fees for various certificates. If the college charges more, then the university can take action against it. Said in-charge registrar Arvind Bhandari, “I don’t remember exact fee structure of the university, but if any college is charging more than what is prescribed, then we will definitely initiate action.” When contacted, St Xavier’s College Principal Vincent Braganza said. “Our non-teaching staff are already overburdened and work from morning through late evening to help students. But some students want immediate action on their demand. Sometimes they make emotional appeal and we do not know whose need is genuine and whose is not. We have introduced this system to discourage non-genuine demand.”

He claimed that some students were raising the issue for ulterior motives. “All our decisions and transactions are transparent. We have already issued guidelines for students’ work,” Father Vincent said. “The money generated is used on students’ welfare. We have a charitable trust and the money is used to help poor students,” he added. Students are also sore with the parking fee imposed on them. All newly admitted students who wish to park their two-wheelers on the campus are required to pay a fee of Rs 200. Also, they have to get a photo identity card made by paying Rs 200.
Agitated with the move, ABVP city secretary Ravi Desai said, “St Xavier’s is a grant-inaid college. It should extend services to students at an affordable rate. The college spends Rs 5 at the most on these certificates, but asks for Rs 100 or Rs 50 apart from the ‘tatkal’ fee. This is not acceptable.” On the parking fee, he said, “The college has a huge space. On can understand if it charges parking fee for four-wheelers, but two-wheelers are a necessity for students and yet the colleges is asking them to pay. It is unfair.” Some students have apparently got the parking identity card. They have been asked to pay the requisite parking fee in the college office, according to the notification on the ‘token charges’.