The Bombay High Court has intervened in the ongoing fee dispute between Savitribai Phule Pune University (SPPU) and ILS Law College by staying an order that had reduced the college’s ‘other fees’ to ₹4,340 for the 2026-27 academic year. The court has mandated the college to submit a fresh proposal for these fees.
Background and Court Findings
On April 30, SPPU issued an order setting the ‘other fees’ for ILS Law College at ₹4,340. However, the Division Bench comprising Justices R.I. Chagla and Farhan Dubash found that ILS Law College’s fee proposal submitted in 2024 did not include the 2026-27 academic year. Instead, the proposal covered only the years 2022-23, 2023-24, and 2024-25.
Examination of the case records revealed that SPPU had previously set ‘other fees’ for the college through orders dated February 20, 2020, June 27, 2020, and August 25, 2021, applicable from the 2021-22 academic year, with extensions into the 2022-23 academic year. In February 2024, ILS Law College submitted a proposal for a significant fee increase, which the Fee Fixation Committee (FFC) has yet to approve.
Next Steps and Interim Measures
The High Court has instructed SPPU to make a decision on the 2024 proposal within two weeks. Meanwhile, as an interim measure, ILS Law College is required to file a new fee proposal for the 2026-27 academic year within two weeks, proposing their desired fee rate. SPPU is then obliged to review and decide on this new proposal within four weeks of its submission.
Pending these developments, any ‘other fees’ collected by ILS Law College above the set ₹4,340 must be placed in an escrow account. Should the higher fees be ultimately disapproved or annulled, the excess fees will be refunded to the students.
The next hearing for this matter is scheduled for August 24, where further developments will be addressed.
