Odisha University of Technology and Research plans fee hike for UG, PG courses

Bhubaneswar: Odisha University of Technology and Research (OUTR), a govt-run unitary university, has proposed a substantial hike in fees, more than double under some heads, across all its technical and professional degree programmes. If approved, this will be the first fee revision in the last 12 years. The university recently submitted a proposal in this regard to the skill development and technical education department, which has asked its fee structure committee to examine the proposal in its upcoming meeting.The College of Engineering and Technology was upgraded into Odisha University of Technology and Research by the state govt in 2021. Prior to that, the last fee revision was carried out in the 2014-15 academic session. The university currently runs several undergraduate (UG) and postgraduate (PG) programmes under regular and self-sustaining programme (SSP) modes.According to the proposal, the university has sought a hike in fees across three key areas — tuition, development and laboratory fees — for both regular and SSP mode courses.For regular programmes, it has proposed increasing tuition fees from Rs 12,000 to Rs 25,000, development fees from Rs 7,000 to Rs 15,000 and laboratory maintenance fees from Rs 1,500 to Rs 3,000. Similarly, for SSP mode courses, the university has proposed increasing tuition fees from Rs 45,000 to Rs 80,000 and doubling development fees from Rs 15,000 to Rs 30,000.Educationists said the govt must strike a balance between institutional requirements and affordability for students.