The Cabinet Sub-Committee,in its meeting today resolved to fill up the Convener and Engineering Managment seats through on-line from the current academic period. Talking to news persons after the committee meeting, Andhra Pradesh Social Welfare Minister Pithani Satyanarayana said based on the expert committee’s report, the Cabinet Sub-committee decided to release notification for the EAMCET counselling on August 8 besides resolving to bear the fee reimbursement only up to Rs 31,000 even as increase. The remaining increased fee would be provided through bank loans, However, in the case of SC and ST students would given the entire amount by the government, the minister said. The committee discussed the fee reimbursement based on the Supreme Court directive to implement only uniform fee structure in engineering and others professional colleges, Mr.Satyanarayana said it also taken a decision to extend the reimbursement support to those students who passed 50 per cent of their subjects. The committee also resolved to enhance the number of seats in government engineering colleges in the next academic period besides upgradation of the government polytechnic colleges, the Minister said. The committee would submit a final report to the government only after discussing the issue again on August 8, the Minister added. In the earlier meeting convened by Chief Minister N.Kirankumar Reddy, the oficials headed by Principal Secretary (Finance) V.Bhaskar reportedly told the Chief Minister that any implementation of uniform fee structure as directed by the apex court would place an additional burden of Rs 600 crore to Rs 1,000 crore on the exchequer annually. In an attempt to tackle the reimbursement issue, the state government earlier had appointed a committee of experts headed by AP State Counicl of High Education Chairman P.Jayaprakash Rao to go into the Supremem court directive and recommend the best option available suiting its finance and helping eligible candidates. UNI
