Engg colleges expect up to 20% dropout due to job loss

Ragu.Raman@timesgroup.com

Chennai:30.04.2020

Engineering colleges are expecting up to 20% dropout post Covid-19 lockdown due to job losses, salary cuts and economic crisis. They also expect the coming admission season to be tougher as many students may not able to afford higher education.

While top colleges are thinking of offering scholarships to some students, others say they cannot afford to even pay their staff after the lockdown ends. Consortium of private colleges want the government either to provide interestfree education loan to students or soft loans to colleges to stay afloat.

Chairmen of professional colleges in Tamil Nadu held a meeting with BJP national general secretary P Muralidhar Rao through video conference recently. “Colleges expressed concern that there will be 20% dropout of students post-lockdown due to job loss and salary cuts. Many students may not be in a position to pay the fees and continue their education,” said Maluk Mohamad, chairman of MAM College of Engineering and Techology in Trichy, who also took part in the meeting.

The colleges also highlighted that new admissions would be challenging due to affordability. “We urged the government to pitch in and ensure that students are offered interest-free loans or financial aid to continue their education,” he added.

A student may have to spend up to ₹1lakh a year to pursue engineering in any college. This includes tuition fee, accommodation and transport. This may not be possible for many due to job loss and pay cut across sectors.

“If the government pays SC/ST scholarship and other dues, we may be able to sustain and help students. Rural colleges are going to be worst affected as many students hail from the lower middle class,” a trustee from a private engineering college in Tiruvallur district said.

The top colleges are also expecting a tough admission season. “Parents may not want their kids to go long distance for higher education,” said R M Kishore, vice-chairman, RMK Engineering College.

“We plan to give more scholarships and additional time to pay the fees. If colleges reopen in September, many may not able to pay staff. If the government arranges soft loan for colleges, it would ease financial stress,” he added.

P Selvaraj, secretary of Consortium of Self-Financing Professional, Arts and Science Colleges, said professional colleges at national level are planning to approach the Centre for help. “Either the government should give loans to students to continue their education or they should give loans to colleges to save the colleges. We cannot pay staff salaries for six months without collecting fees from students,” he said. “If we ask for fees, the students may drop out. Without collecting fees, we cannot pay our staff. The government should help,” he added.

The Federation of Associations of Private Schools in Tamil Nadu urged the state government to allow them to collect fees from parents who are eligible and willing to pay fees.

WHAT NEXT? Job loss and pay cuts could make higher education less affordable for many