Technical institutions facing closure due to Government's apathy

Technical institutions facing closure due to Government's apathy

THE technical institutions in Maharashtra started by private societies arc getting grants which are not enough to match the growing expenses on imparting education and maintaining high standards.

The grants sanctioned by the government have not been revised for several years. The institutions are getting only 905? of the salary grants making it difficult to pay salaries to the teaching and non-teaching staff, besides improving the physical infrastructure.

These institutions are expected to produce youth with technical qualification matching the global competition. However, imparting technical education in the era of fast changing technology, becomes difficult without additional financial support from the government, highly placed sources at these institutions have staled.

These government-aided institutions, 51 in number, have decried the stepmotherly treatment given to them. The government has been insisting on impart ing technical knowledge to the youth in the country. The private institutions imparting education in Ayurved and Unani medicines have been sanctioned 100% salary grants, neglecting these technical institutions.

Besides the salary grants only Rs 100 per student is given for developing libraries, This has also noi been revised, even when Ihe cost of books, journals and magazine are sky-rocketing. The institutions are demanding hike in this fees uplo Rs 500 per student.

The private non-granted institutions have been allowed to increase the fees through the Shikshan Shulka Samiti. However, these institutions have not been granted permission to revise the fees. Even the institutions run by the government have revised their fees. This has led to raising doubts on the intentions of the government.

If the problems of these institutions are not addressed soon they may face closure, which will be a great loss to the youth aspiring to prosecute technical education and start their own business.

To add to the problems the salaries are not released regularly. Even funds of persons who have retired from service on superannuation, have not been received. They are also facing the problem of their survival.

The Sevaarth' system started by the government with much fanfare, has remained on the paper only. The staff of these institutions were expecting speedy processing of their salary bills. However, this new system is not functioning properly.