Virtual University increases tuition fee across country

[Lahore_Real_Estate]

LAHORE: The Virtual University (VU) has put extra burden on students by increasing the tuition fee in all campuses across the country. The varsity administration on Thursday changed the fee structure on the basis of credit hours, according to which students will now have to pay per semester.

Since 2002, the VU was charging students on a monthly basis, which was Rs 1,300 for the bachelors programmes and Rs 2,000 for the masters programmes. However, the varsity administration has now decided to convert the fee structure into per credit hour and per semester basis.

The fee has been increased to Rs 9,000 for the bachelors programmes and Rs 12,000 for the masters programme. Along with the increase in the fee, the VU administration will also charge students Rs 1,000 as a semester enrolment fee, which has been opposed by the students of the varsity.

The VU is based on modern information and communication technologies and was established by the government as a public sector, non-profit institution. Using free-to-air satellite television broadcasts and the Internet, the university allows students to follow its programmes regardless of their physical locations.

The varsity has more than 35,000 students all over Pakistan and the fee increase would affect students across the country, whose studies are already being disturbed by the increase in load shedding.

The students demanded an immediate withdrawal of the new fee structure. According to the newly admitted students, they took admission in the university only because of the monthly fee structure of the varsity.