Defence Minister, Nirmala Seetharaman today wanted UGC to realise that capitation fee cannot be a subject of exceptions, but it should be a norm.

In her convocation address to Avinashilingam Institute for Home Science and Higher Education for Women, Nirmala Seetharaman asked Joint Secretary and Chief Vigilance Officer, UGC, Dr Archana Thakur who was on the dais, to use her good offices to convey the message for the benefit of the institute, who does not want to take capitation fee.

“Capitation fee cannot be a subject of exception. It should be a norm. No Capitation fee should be the norm,” she told Thakur.

Higher regulatory institutions should be worried about the quality of the education imparted and the output, and it can exempt capitation fee if any institutions come forward, she said.

“If Avinashilingam Institute wants to start a medical college without taking capitation, will the authorities allow them? No. It will not be permitted and this is the irony of education,” she said.

Stating that Tamil Nadu was giving utmost priority for education, particularly the girls, Nirmala said that it was noteworthy how education had evolved in Tamil Nadu, especially through many charitable individuals and organisations.

More important was the fact that one system, a size of fit principles does not work well and if UGC comes up with rules and set of norms in the broad interest of promoting education, it should also adopt certain flexibility with regard to some exceptional institutions and universities, she said.