Shivaji University Seeks Details of Drought-Hit Students

The Shivaji University, Kolhapur (SUK) in its May 24 circular has asked its colleges to submit the information on the students who belong to the drought affected areas. According to the circular, the university has received instructions from the higher authorities about fee waiver for such students.

It said that the students from the drought affected region, if they have appeared for the semester exam, their fee can waived and the colleges need to send the information to the SUK officials.

"The number of drought affected students might as well go up to over 10,000. The drought affected regions such as Jath from Sangli and various parts of the Satara are the worst affected ones with the water woes and these students will be getting a fee waiver, which might as well go in between Rs 300 to Rs 1,000."

- Mahesh Kakade, Shivaji University, Controller of Examinations

"Even though the university fee is not much, it does mean a lot for the ones who hail from those areas. We even had an accommodation crisis after our summer exam, which university helped us by arranging a temporary accommodation at the university hostels."

- Vinod Rathod, Jath

Earlier this year as many as 33,581 class X students from the Kolhapur division had availed the fee waiver scheme offered by the Maharashtra state board of secondary and higher secondary education (MSBSHSE), said the Kolhapur divisional board officials.The official added that 24,634 students from five talukas in Satara district and 8,247 students from 9 talukas in the Sangli district availed the fee waiver scheme, under which their exam fee of Rs 350 was waived off.

Source- Prasad Patil, City Journalist, College Dekho