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A plea has been filed in Rajasthan High Court, seeking directions to reduce the fee in the Manipal University, Jaipur as the Parents are suffering from financial crisis due to the Pandemic and it has become difficult for them to pay the extravagant fee.

“The University is offering online courses whose fees are less than on-campus fee. Therefore, the mode of present education is similar to Online Course of University, thus, when the mode of education is same then the upscale fee for off-campus students is not justifiable especially when the parents are facing financial calamity. The on-campus fee is inclusive of the overhead and operational cost bear by the University but during the current circumstances when online classes(off-campus) are going on, the maintenance cost is apparently low to be borne by the University.” –excerpt from the plea.

The Petitioners Vishal Kumar Jha and Paawanpreet Katewa are Law Students of Manipal University, Jaipur Campus, Rajasthan. They have preferred this instant Civil Writ Petition against their Alma Mater (Manipal University, Jaipur) and assert that, the University has not provided the students with proper bifurcation of the Tuition Fee.

The petitioners further contends that since the University is not providing the students with the activities and curricular on-campus, hence, charging complete fee for online classes (off-campus) and offline classes (on-campus) shows insensitive and profiteering attitude of the University towards the Students and their Parents during these delicate times of Corona.  

It must be noted, as per Section 33 of the Manipal University, Jaipur Act 2011, the fee shall be structured in the manner as the fee would be sufficient for generating resources for meeting the recurring expenditure of the University; and the savings required for the further development of the University, thus, University ought to charge expenses incurred on Online Education.

Therefore, the petitioners prayed for the following reliefs-

A. Issue a Writ, order or direction in the nature of Mandamus or any other appropriate Writ or Order thereby direct the Respondent No.1 to reduce the fee as the Parents are suffering from financial crisis due to the Pandemic and it has become difficult for them to pay the extravagant fee;

B. Direct the Respondent to provide the Petitioners with the proper bifurcation of the Tuition Fee;

 C. Issue a Writ, order or direction in the nature of Mandamus or any other appropriate Writ or Order thereby direct the Respondent No. 2, 3 and 4 to make guidelines to formulate, implement and regulate the Higher-Education Fee Structure and its collection during pandemic period;

 D. Direct the Respondent No. 1 to not to take any coercive action against the Petitioners for seeking the indulgence of this Hon’ble Court;

 E. Pass any other order/directions, which the Hon’ble Court may deem fit and proper in the facts and circumstances of the present case.