Students upset as Savitribai Phule Pune University hikes admission fee to courses

PUNE: The hike in admission fees for various courses at the Savitribai Phule Pune University has upset students. A student of the statistics department paid Rs 1,760 last year for two semesters whereas this year fresh students are paying nearly Rs 8,000. The students stated that the government had ordered to reduce the fee by 15%, however, the SPPU has increased it when classes are conducted online.
The fees are collected under various heads from students including form fee, admission fee, registration, skill based course, student aid, gymkhana among others.
The student who took admission this year said that, “The government said not to increase fees and even the SPPU had announced that there would be no fee hike. Yet the admission fee is many fold higher compared to last year. We have written to the varsity and hope that the fee is restored to its original.”
Student activist Kamlakar Shete said, “The hike in fees is a clear violation of the government’s order. In fact, even the varsity’s own order stands violated. The same would have happened in other departments too and it needs to be checked so that students do not end up paying the enormous amount of fees.”