HYDERABAD: Two professors at the English and Foreign Languages University have paid the caution deposit fee of Rs 5,200 each for five post-graduation students for mess membership. One of the professors had offered to pay fee for 12 other students who refused to take the help as they were not sure they would be able to pay the monthly mess bills because of their financial condition.
The introduction of caution deposit fee has made the going tougher for students from lower socioeconomic backgrounds at Eflu. The university this year enforced the rule that students have to pay the caution deposit fee at the start of semester as well as pay their mess bills on monthly basis. While the monthly mess bill comes to around Rs 2,500, the social welfare scholarship offered by the Telangana state government is Rs 750 for SC and ST students and Rs 650 for OBC students. This amount is released as arrears once in a few months.
Eflu gives Rs 1,000 per month to students from marginalised communities and to those whose parents’ income is less than Rs 1.5 lakh per annum. However, this also does not suffice the needs of the students. One of these professors said, “The rule to deposit caution fee has been introduced as some students eat in the mess and do not pay their bills.”
