New Delhi: The Supreme Court on Wednesday, October 14, ruled that the professional course providers must fix their fee for entire duration of a course and inform the students the same before taking admission. The court underlined that the educational firms should not alter the fee during the course except in exceptional circumstances.
While hearing an appeal filed by Dr BC Roy Engineering College and other private colleges against a Calcutta High Court ruling that barred them from applying a fee hike to students who had already taken admission, the court stated that fee fixation committees must assess costs, including foreseeable increases over the duration of the course before the admission process.
The court further noted that unforeseen expenses arising from extraordinary economic conditions or changes in law could justify a revision, but such adjustments must remain exceptional and cannot replace timely assessment and proper planning. The Court said that they must function as continuing institutions, capable of anticipating costs, undertaking periodic assessments, and making timely decisions.
“Its processes should be structured so that the fee determination is completed before admissions commence and, as far as reasonably possible, covers the entire duration of the professional course,” the court higlighted.
