The Department of Undergraduate Education has been forced to withdraw its controversial directive that made it mandatory for pre-university (PUC) students in Vijayapura district to pay a registration fee of Rs 500 each for the upcoming Vrikshothan Heritage Run, a marathon event organised by the Vrikshothan Heritage Foundation, an NGO headed by Karnataka’s Minister for Large and Medium Industries, M. B. Patil.
The circular, issued by the Deputy Director of Pre-University Education, Vijayapura, had instructed principals of government and private PUC colleges to collect the fee from students and deposit it directly into the Foundation’s bank account. According to official records, the directive covered as many as 40 colleges in the district, where 11,541 students are currently enrolled. The total collection was expected to amount to nearly Rs 57.70 lakh.
The move immediately sparked protests from students, parents, principals, and college management boards, many of whom questioned how institutions already struggling to collect tuition fees could be expected to enforce such payments. Critics also pointed out that the directive unfairly burdened students from economically weaker sections, minority communities, and backward classes who make up a significant portion of PUC enrollments in the region.
The issue gained statewide attention after media outlets published detailed reports, backed by official documents, exposing the directive. The reports highlighted that while the Vrikshothan Heritage Run is technically a voluntary event, the government order had made participation compulsory, effectively converting a community initiative into a state-enforced fundraiser.
Facing mounting criticism, the Department of Undergraduate Education moved quickly to contain the damage. In a memorandum issued on Sunday, the Deputy Director of Vijayapura district formally withdrew the earlier orders dated March 17 and September 18, 2025.
“The Vrikshothan Heritage Run is a voluntary program. Therefore, no student should be compelled to pay any registration fee. The earlier memorandums are hereby withdrawn, and no money should be collected from students,” the order read.
The controversy deepened because the Foundation at the centre of the storm is chaired by senior Congress leader and state minister M. B. Patil. The Vrikshothan Heritage Foundation has been organising the marathon in Vijayapura for several years, with donations previously coming from elected representatives, philanthropists, and local organisations.
This year, however, the involvement of the Department of Undergraduate Education and the directive’s compulsory nature raised questions about whether the event was being misused for political or personal branding purposes. Opposition leaders seized upon the issue, alleging that government machinery was being misused to funnel money into an NGO linked to a serving minister.
Principals and teaching staff across Vijayapura expressed frustration over the directive, noting that it placed them in an impossible position. “Many of our students cannot afford to pay tuition on time. Asking them for an additional Rs 500, and that too for an event not directly linked to their education, was unreasonable,” a senior principal told reporters.
Parents, too, opposed the fee. Several said they were unwilling to pay for a marathon when their children were already struggling with rising costs of books, uniforms, and transport. Students themselves staged informal protests in some colleges, arguing that their participation should be voluntary, not compulsory.
Amidst the rising objections, Minister M. B. Patil convened a meeting with the Vijayapura deputy commissioner, Superintendent of Police, and representatives of social organisations to discuss the campaign. Sources suggest the meeting was intended to manage the fallout and ensure the event could still be conducted without public backlash.
While Patil has not issued a formal statement distancing himself from the directive, officials from his department have emphasised that the Heritage Run has historically been funded through voluntary contributions and sponsorships, not mandatory student fees.
The BJP and JD(S) have alleged that this is clear evidence of the Congress government’s misuse of power. “Forcing poor students to cough up Rs 500 for an NGO run by a minister is nothing short of extortion. This is how the Congress treats education as a fundraising platform for its leaders,” a senior BJP MLA alleged.
JD(S) leaders echoed similar sentiments, questioning whether the Congress high command was aware of the directive and demanding an independent probe into how such an order was cleared.
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