SC: Full course fees must be fixed before admission

The Supreme Court has ruled that fees for the entire duration of a professional course must be determined and notified before the admission process begins, and cannot be revised during the course except under exceptional circumstances. In Dr. B.C. Roy Engineering College v. State of West Bengal, a Bench of Justices PS Narasimha and Alok Aradhe emphasized that fee fixation committees must assess all foreseeable costs and inflationary trends to recommend stable fee structures.

Quoting the National Commission for Protection of Child Rights (NCPCR) and the All India Council for Technical Education (AICTE) guidelines, the Court held that sudden or mid-course fee hikes violate the principle of fair educational contracts and disproportionately burden underprivileged students. Institutions must provide transparency and predictability in financial obligations.

Legal practitioners advising educational institutions must ensure compliance with this directive, particularly in private and deemed universities. The judgment reinforces consumer rights in education under the Consumer Protection Act and Article 21, enhancing institutional accountability.