"Disproportionate, Arbitrary": Plea In Delhi High Court Challenges Retrospective Fee Hike During The Pandemic By Guru Gobind Singh Indraprastha University

A petition has been filed in the Delhi High Court challenging a notification issued by Guru Gobind Singh Indraprastha University regarding the retrospective fee hike during the pandemic period amid covid-19.

Filed by Advocate and a social activist Varun Katiyar, the plea challenges the notification dated September 7, 2020 whereby the University increased the fees of 21 unaided educational institution affiliated to it.

It is alleged that the act of raising fee retrospectively by the University while the nation is facing hardships due to the global pandemic is arbitrary, disproportionate and unreasonable.

The plea filed under Article 226 further avers that the retrospective fee hike is being done despite the fact that no classes were conducted in an offline mode during the past one year and without the students availing the benefit of library, conferences and other campus facilities.

"The people over the country economically suffered a lot during the period and hence the petitioner was expecting that the respondents would even reduce the fee considerably than that of the previous year as they could not provide most of the services they gave the year before," the plea reads.

It has also been stated that the notifications issued by the UGC and Bar Council of India have requested the educational institutions to be sympathetic with students regarding payment of fees and give better options to them for fee payment.

Stating that the demand of retrospective fee hike is a situation where petitioner has no informed choice, the plea avers:

"The respondents omitted to see that the principal regulating bodies in the field of education in the country have already given directions not to hike the fee during the pandemic. Not only the University Grant Commission and Bar Council of India but various State governments have issued educational directions restrict the to institutions from increasing the fees in this difficult situation of Pandemic."

In view of this, the plea prays for declaring the impugned notification as null and void and also for restraining the respondent authorities to take any coercive action against the students.

It also seeks for directions to not charge academic fee with retrospective effect and to also refund or adjust proportionate fee of the petitioner who has already paid the same out of compulsion.

Title: Varun Katiyar v. GNCTD & Ors.