Students of Silver Oak University (SOU) are angry over the way the management has fleeced over Rs 2.10 crore from them in the name of unlisted fee.
Protesting against what they call “extortionist” behaviour by Silver Oak University Management, the students allege that the authorities began charging enrolment fees two months after the college began. Curiously, these enrolment charges were not listed in the formal fee papers provided to them.
Sixty students got together to make a representation to the University. They told the authorities that it was unreasonable and unfair that were being charged Rs 1500 for an ID card. Students told Vibes of India that Silver Oak was charging Rs 3000 including the identity card fee without giving an acknowledgement slip. “This is nothing short of a racket. There are more than 7000 students at the University and this means that Silver Oak has fleeced over Rs 2.10 crores without any receipt from the students,” an aggrieved student told VOI.
The students claimed that the University informed them on December 22 to pay up Rs 3000.
Speaking on condition of anonymity, a student told VOI, “We were not informed about the extra charges in the fee structure provided to us. The charges have been imposed out of the blue and it is simply unacceptable.’’
The students decided to take up the matter management and seek an amicable resolution to this. “ A group of 50 students met some members from the management but they have not resolved the issue yet,” a student said. “We were told that Rs 1500 are for enrolment charges and Rs 1500 are for the identity card. Our college began in mid October. What is the logic behind collecting enrolment fees after nearly three months? he asked.
On being contacted on Monday by VOI, the Director of Silver Oak University, Dr M Samir Gopalan, said,” The enrolment charges are to be presented to the government by each university and every university has right to collect their own enrolment fees.”
Asked about charges for the ID Card, he said that he was unaware of the break-up and the “Fees and Forms” department is in a better position to reply to such questions.
A staffer at the “Fees and Forms” department however claimed that the identity card was free and the Rs 3000 were just enrolment charges.
The fee for the entire non-technical program ranges up to Rs 70,000 depending upon the specialization and streams.
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