Maharashtra govt orders Pune's ILS Law College to refund unauthorised charges

Chandrakant Patil. File Pic

Higher and Technical Education Minister Chandrakant Patil has directed ILS Law College in Pune to refund fees found to have been collected without authorisation, along with 6 per cent interest, after an inquiry ordered in line with directions of the Bombay High Court.

The directive follows complaints alleging non-transparent and irregular fee collection practices at the non-aided institution. Acting on the court's directions, the Higher and Technical Education Department constituted a three-member inquiry committee led by the Joint Director of Higher Education to examine the matter.

Unauthorised Fees Collected Over Multiple Academic Years

According to the committee's findings, the college collected additional fees from students during the academic years 2020-21, 2021-22 and 2024-25 without obtaining prior approval from Savitribai Phule Pune University. The report stated that this constituted a violation of provisions under the Maharashtra Public Universities Act, 2016, which mandates prior approval for such fee structures.

The inquiry highlighted a specific case in which a total of Rs. 1,04,863 was collected from a petitioner under 17 different fee heads deemed unauthorised.

Refund with Interest Ordered

Based on the findings, the Directorate of Higher Education, through the office of the Divisional Joint Director, has issued instructions to the college to refund the amount to affected students along with 6 per cent interest calculated from the date of payment. Officials indicated that compliance will be monitored to ensure that refunds are processed within a reasonable timeframe.

Statewide Scrutiny of Fee Practices

The minister also ordered a broader review of fee collection practices across higher education institutions in the state. The Divisional Joint Director has been asked to verify whether similar instances of unauthorised fee collection are occurring in other colleges. Authorities said that strict action would be initiated wherever violations are detected.

The development underscores the state government's focus on enforcing transparency and accountability in higher education institutions. Officials said measures are being strengthened to ensure that students are not subjected to arbitrary or unapproved charges, and that institutions adhere to prescribed regulatory norms governing fee structures.