Delhi CM Arvind Kejriwal opposes IIT fee hike

NEW DELHI: Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal today opposed the Centre's decision to increase annual fees for undergraduate courses in IITs from existing Rs 90,000 to Rs 2 lakh, saying the "steep" hike will make the institutions "out of reach" for the poor.

"I strongly oppose steep fee hike in IITs. Pl don't make IIT out of reach for poor. I couldn't hv studied at IIT if fee were this high (sic)," Kejriwal tweeted.

The hike in IIT fees is of 122 per cent. The HRD Ministry has also decided to give a total fee waiver to the differently-abled, students from SC and ST communities and those belonging to families with annual income less than Rs 1 lakh, officials in the Ministry said.

The HRD Ministry issued an order in this regard this evening, saying the implementation of the decision will happen after ratification by the IIT Council.