Law Students Approach Kerala HC Against Collection Of Fees By NUALS For Services Not Availed By Them During Lockdown Period

28 Law Students has approached the High Court of Kerala against collection of Fees by the National University of Advanced Legal Studies for services which are not being availed by the students during the period of lockdown. 

The students seek a declaration from the Court that NUALS is not entitled to collect fee, other than tuition fee, for services that are not being availed by the students due to the closure of campus and the conduct of classes online by the college authorities in view of the Covid-19 pandemic.

The University had directed the Students to pay a fee which included Library Fee, Information System Facility Fee, Electricity Charges, Students' Welfare Fund, Students' Council Fee, Sports & Games Fee, Moot Court Fee, Medical/Gym/Fitness Fee, Journal Fee, Bus fee and Debating Society Fee, The Students contend that the  inaction on the part of the University in granting waiver of fee for the facilities which are not being availed by them , other than tuition fee, is totally arbitrary and illegal and goes against the legitimate expectation of the petitioners.

They also rely on a BCI circular to all the law colleges in the country to consider the request made by the students regarding fee concession sympathetically and consider granting fee concession in view of the savings on electricity charges and maintenance of infrastructure which the colleges would have otherwise had to bear when physical classes were conducted.

The students state that the Chief Justice of the High Court of Kerala, who is the Chancellor, NUALS, had directed the university to consider the issue raised by the students council. But without favourable consideration of fee reduction, the university administration is insisting that the fee should be paid, the students said in the writ petition filed through  M/s. Ninan & Mathew Advocates.