Fees collected not excessive or exorbitant: HC

Chennai, Oct 19 (UNI) Madras High Court today observed that fees of Rs 17,125 per annum for a five year course and Rs 17,025 per annum for a three year course collected by the Salem Central Law College from students was not excessive or exorbitant.

A Division Bench comprising Chief Justice A P Shah and Mr Justice K Chandru made the remark while allowing a batch of writ petitions challenging three Government Orders dated March ten, April 26 and July 30, 2004 giving various directions to the law college on reservation of seats under the management quota and on the fee structure.

The bench said there was no material to show that fees were excessive or that the college indulged in profiteering or commercialisation, adding the college produced a chart with the fee structure of private law colleges in other states to show their fees were not exorbitant.

The college added that to give quietus to the ongoing controversy and end the strike by students, it was prepared to reduce fees to Rs 8000 per annum for the two courses for students admitted during 2004, 2005 and 2006 under the Government Quota and who had not paid fees.

For students who had already paid fees, the excess should be refunded in adjusted for next year, the bench said. Fee concession was only for students admitted under the government quota and could not be cited as a precedent in other cases, it added.

It said in view of the judgement in the P A Inamdar case, the State had all powers to regulate fees and in future if it was found the college was indulging in profiteering, the government could take appropriate action under the Tamil Nadu Education Institutional (Prohibition of Collection of Capitation Fee) Act.

Counsel for the law university had said the college should conduct extra classes and students get minimum attendance of 66 per cent, so that the university would have no objection to permit students to appear for the December 2006 semester examination, the bench said.

The bench also directed the government to give adequate police protection to students, who had given an undertaking to the college and who wished to attend classes. Students were given time till November 30, 2006 to pay the reduced fees and if they failed to do so, they would not be entitled to further studies, the bench said.

UNI XR AJ BDP GC1055