Srinagar, Nov 23: Scores of students at SSM College of Engineering and Technology on Monday alleged that the management was insisting them to pay the transport and maintenance charges of COVID-19 months wherein the services were not availed by any student.

The students informed that the College management was charging Rs 500 a month to each student under a caption of maintenance charges.

“Since the outbreak of COVID-19 in March till date, no student has availed the transport facility and charging of maintenance fee (Rs 500) from students is a tactic to mint money from us,” the students said.

They further alleged that besides the ‘surplus fee’ of Rs 500, the students are already paying a huge amount as a transportation fee.

Another student said, “SSM college authorities are taking bus fee from the students which the students were not availing and they are also charging Rs 45,000 admission fee for one year Plus Rs 1700 for registration for which they don’t  provide us receipt.”

According to the SSM college students, the management had said that there are very clear directions that half bus fee shall be charged to meet insurance, salary and maintenance of busses.

The students said that the SSM authorities told them that “The committee has recommended Rs 500 after seeing all expenditures. It is the magnanimity of management who agreed to it. 90 percent of students are getting scholarships from different government schemes. Rs 45000 are lowest fee our college is charging for Engineering course per annum, again magnanimity of management taking fee in small installments.”

Principal SSM College Sajad Ahmad informed KNO that the transport maintenance fee was being charged under AICTE guidelines in order to pay salaries to the drivers.

“As far as charging of other fees is concerned, Rs 1700 are charged from the students as registration fee that goes into the Kashmir University account,” Ahmad said—(KNO)