The alumni of the IIEST, Shibpur, will pay the annual tuition fees of nine students who could not clear their dues because of financial constraints amid the pandemic.
The tuition fees at the Indian Institute of Engineering Science and Technology and Technology (IIEST) stands at Rs 1.25 lakh a year.
The students, most of whom study the dual degree (integrated BTech and MTech) programme, had appealed to the institute for a waiver and the institute approached the alumni to help these students.
The IIEST director, Parthasarathi Chakrabarti, had appealed to the institution’s former students for tuition fee assistance during a virtual global alumni meet on December 27.
Anjana Ganguly Roy, the president of the global alumni association, last week informed the institute authorities that they would pay the tuition fees. “Our association pays scholarships to students throughout the year. Director Chakrbarti had appealed for the assistance in view of the Covid-induced financial hardship these students are facing. Amid the pandemic, there have been cases of job loss all over. The funds will soon be transferred to the students,’’ said Ganguly Roy.
The director decided to approach the alumni — Global Alumni Association of the Bengal Engineering and Science University, (known as GABESU) — after the education ministry had struck down Chakrabarti’s prayer for a fee waiver, said an official of the institute.
The official said eight students of the dual degree programme who were promoted to the fifth and final year (MTech) last year faced trouble when they were asked to pay the tuition fees.“They enjoyed a tuition fee waiver under a scheme in the first four years(BTech level),” he said.As part of the scheme, the institute allows full tuition fee waiver if a student’s annual family income is less than Rs 1 lakh.
If the income ranges between Rs 1 lakh and Rs 5 lakh, he/she is required to pay one-third part of the amount. Of the eight students, three enjoyed full waiver and five two-thirds waiver.
“But the central government does not allow the scheme at the MTech level. So when the students were asked to pay the tuition fee last year, they cited financial distress. This prompted the director to knock on the door of the alumni,’’ he said.The alumni will now pay the full tuition fee of the three students and two-third tuition fees of the five students.
The lone student of the MSc programme will get Rs 35,000 as tuition fee assistance..
“We are trying to help students in distress in as many ways as possible. The alumni are helping us in a big way in this endeavour,’’ said director Chakrabarti.
IIEST, last month had decided to recharge the data packs of students as some are struggling to bear the costs.
Some students wrote to the authorities, highlighting how financial distress was coming in the way of attending classes on the digital platforms.
The institute has also decided to give tabs to students who don’t have devices so they can attend online classes.
