Colleges Cannot Hike Fees After Admission: A Major Relief for Students.

The Supreme Court has directed that the fees for students pursuing professional courses in private colleges cannot be increased midway through the course. The Court stated that colleges must determine the course fees in advance.

The Supreme Court has issued a significant directive regarding private colleges, mandating that fees for students enrolled in professional courses—such as engineering and medical programs—cannot be raised while the course is in progress. The Court emphasized that colleges must finalize the fee structure before the admission process begins. However, it noted that fee adjustments may be permitted under specific, exceptional circumstances after a course has commenced. This order was issued by the Supreme Court during the hearing of a case concerning changes to fee structures following admission.

This ruling is considered highly significant for students across the country who have faced financial hardship due to mid-course fee hikes. A bench comprising Justice PS Narasimha and Justice Alok Aradhe stated that the committees responsible for fixing fees should account for potential expenses likely to arise during the course. The Court further observed that for students enrolling in 4-to-5-year professional programs, the full fee structure must be disclosed prior to the start of the course.

When can fees be changed midway through a course?

The Supreme Court clarified that fee adjustments may be made only in extraordinary circumstances—such as when unforeseen expenses arise. The Court stressed, however, that such changes should be strictly exceptional.

Clarification in the West Bengal Case

This Supreme Court decision follows the hearing of appeals filed by Dr. B.C. Roy Engineering College and other private institutions, which challenged a ruling by the Calcutta High Court. The 37 percent fee hike implemented by Roy Engineering College for the 2023-27 B.Tech batch has been struck down. Furthermore, the college had imposed an additional 'development fee' on students; following this, the Supreme Court ruled in favor of the students who had challenged the fee increase.

Mandatory Disclosure of Total Course Fees Before Admission

While acknowledging the contribution of self-financed institutions to the education sector, a bench comprising Justices PS Narasimha and Alok Aradhe stated that there must be certainty regarding fees, and students should not be compelled to pay more than the prescribed amount at the time of admission. The Supreme Court noted that for most families, the cost of professional courses consumes a significant portion of their income and savings—it is by no means a trivial expense. Parents arrange these funds with the expectation that their children will acquire better qualifications and secure good employment opportunities. Given that many students and families also rely on loans to fund professional courses—and noting that fees for such courses can be as much as 711 percent higher than those for standard academic programs—the Supreme Court emphasized that the state and its regulatory bodies must establish a mechanism to regulate and fix the fees for students pursuing professional courses.