The UK riots were seen by many as a continuation of the student protest against the increased fees at UK universities. Maybe in an effort to curtail such a situation in India, the Union Human Resource Development (HRD) ministry’s proposal for fees hike in Indian Institutes of Technology (IITs) came along with a viable solution as well. Under this thoughtful proposal, the IIT students can pay the increased fee amount once they get a job.

Though Kapil Sibal, the HRD minister, gave an estimate of just Rs. 2 to 2.5 Lakhs as annual expenditure per student perusing a course in the IIT, this amount covers just the operational cost. The total expenditure will be much more substantial than the estimated amount and the IITs are in need of the monetary support to maintain the quality of education and achieve a higher financial autonomy.

The proposed fee is fourfold the current fee, in an effort to enable the IITs to recover 30% of the total expenditure and thereby attain greater autonomy. However this proposed hike will not affect or deter the meritorious students and other financially unfortunate students, as they will be awarded with scholarship and tuition fee waivers.

This proposal from the HRD ministry will ease the burden of the parents. And going by the job offers received by the students coming out of the IITs, one can safely say that the students are not going to be facing any problem in paying the increased fees as well.