A professional dilemma ..

On the afternoon of 9th of April, a senior colleague took centre stage in a meeting to discuss the issue of fee hike and called for one thing and one thing only - Unity. He urged that we stay united in not paying the exaggerated fees, we stay united in the thinking that this fee hike is completely unreasonable and if push comes to shove, we stay united in organizing a protest against the ruling management. "We can show our solidarity equally and even more than the engineering students, after all the entire system will crash if we don't show up for work", he said giving a sense of hope to everyone present including me. So it was a shock when on the afternoon of 11th of April, with one meeting with the management honchos, the topic of unity had been absolved into reasonability and compromise. It was expected but surprising that a lot of otherwise united people had also jumped onto this bandwagon and I suddenly found myself among a fighting few who still wanted to oppose this decision outright. With the meeting really leading nowhere, the closing sentences made were, "we will go with the majority, leaving anyone else with a problem to go on their own and taking it up with the management personally". The long reign of the united PGs had ended (9th - 11th April 2012). 6.75 lakh is not a small amount. That too for two years. That too when you have already taken a loan in the bank based on the original fees which was also no less !!!. The decision to take a seat in Manipal was taken on the basis of the good quality education it is known for, leaving seats in other colleges which have a total 3 yr fees equalling Manipal's 1 yr fees. Making that decision was not easy because believe it or not, coming from a middle class family with less savings, money matters !!!. So when the fees is suddenly hiked, by an amount of more than 1 lakh, it makes you wonder is it all worth it. Education is just another commodity right, with the prices of onions reaching sky high it is only expected that the price for a good education would also escalate. But is it fair enough for the management to escalate it on an explanation that, " The government has asked us to increase your stipend, and since we are stripped for cash, we are asking you for money to give it back to you only". Is it fair. I don't think so. Some PGs argued that even if the management wants the money, the students should be able to pay it in instalments. There is no point in paying a lump sum to them and they paying us part of it each month, garnering a good interest on the rest. Still some argued that there should be a talk of fee hike only by 10% which sounds affordable. One senior suggested that when our parents are ready to pay, we shouldn't make an unnecessary issue and cause trouble and yet a lot said that when we are being paid back an increased stipend, why can't we pay an increased fees. All are very wise and thoughtful point of views, however with no consensus being reached, it was concluded that we pen down our thoughts regarding the matter and ask our parents about the same too. I did..., these are my thoughts in the following order.

1. My first appeal is that the status quo of the fee structure be maintained, as stated when we took admission. 2. If the management is being pressurized to enforce a fee hike to meet the requirements of a Govt. law, then can it allow us to participate in a discussion with them in constructing an affordable margin of increase, preferably between 5 to 10 percent of the original fee amount rather than 20% ? 3. Can the management allow us the provision of paying the increased fee in quarterly instalments ? 4. As my bank will not allow any review of the loan policy, then can the management help me in catering for the fees through some student schemes ? 5. Even if I make the payment, what is the guarantee that the fees will not be increased the next year again ? 6. Lastly if all discussions fail and the management upholds its 20% hike in fee rule, I would like to know what happens to me if I am not able to pay this fees at all ?

As to the call to my dad....When I called my dad, a retired army officer and narrated to him the events of the past few days he told me that there is no point in fighting, I will arrange the money somehow but if it is about principles , "Aatish, then leave the course and come back. You can study again and get into another college". Well it is about principles!!!!, but the thought of starting all over again scares me a lot. It is also true that if nothing else works out this might be the only course of action remaining to take. The irony being, I was just getting to enjoy Manipal.