Rajasthan High Court Issues Notice On Law Students' Plea For Regulation Of Higher Education Fee Structure Amid Covid-19

A direction is also sought to the UGC, the Bar Council of India and the Rajasthan Government to frame guidelines for regulation of Higher-Education Fee Structure and its collection during pandemic period.

The Petitioners had pointed before the Bench of Justice Sanjeev Prakash Sharma that the University is offering online courses whose fees are less than on-campus fee. They submitted that since the present mode education is similar to Online Course of University, thus, the upscale fee for off-campus students is not justifiable.

"Issue notice of the writ petition as well as stay application, returnable within eight weeks. Additionally, notices may be served through e-mail also," the Bench therefore ordered.

It further directed that no coercive steps shall be taken against the petitioners in the meanwhile.

The petition has been filed by law students Vishal Kumar Jha and Paawanpreet Katewa through Advocates Harsha Sharma, Satayam Singh, Amit Kumar Sharma and Tushar Panwar.

They submitted that conceivably, the expenditure incurred by the University for conducting online classes is proportionately less than the expenses of the physical classes. Yet, the Students are constantly forced to pay the entire fee at a time when their parents are undergoing extreme financial crisis.

"Access to higher education is vital and is a human right too, thus, the Students should only be charged for tuition fee and expenses incurred on conducting online classes," stated the plea.

They have urged that Students have right to know the bifurcation of their fee structure, which the University has allegedly concealed.

Case Title: Vishal Kumar Jha & Anr. v. Manipal University Jaipur & Ors.

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