Colleges, students fume as univ imposes retrospective fee hike

Mumbai university's decision to implement fee hike with retrospective effect has sent colleges and students into a tizzy. A circular issued by the varsity on March 3 seeks to allow colleges to increase exam fee two-fold for all students who got admitted in 2011-12 owing to the introduction of semester exams.

The university, which has sought its 25% share in the increased fee, claimed that it had issued a circular in this regard in 2013 and that the present one was just a reminder. However, some colleges claimed that they had received the circular only now.

As per the order, students would have to cough up Rs600 per semester as "extra" from 2011 onwards. A top varsity official, however, claimed that many colleges had already collected the hiked fee and deposited "our share".

MNVS leader Sainath Durge, who has taken up the issue with the varsity higher-ups, said: "This is gross injustice to the students. The varsity should immediately roll back the hike."