SC refuses to hear plea seeking Bar Council, UGC direction to varsities to relax fee payment time

The Supreme Court on Thursday refused to entertain a petition seeking for the Bar Council of India (BCI) and the University Grant Commission (UGC) to direct universities to give time relaxation for payment of tuition fees. A three-judge bench of Justice Ashok Bhushan, Justice R Subhash Reddy and Justice MR Shah, while refusing to hear the matter, gave the petitioner liberty to approach concerned High Courts.

The apex court was hearing the petition filed by a fourth-year law student, Ramey Rana, highlighting that the guidelines issued by the UGC and BCI on May 27 and July 27 respectively were unheeded by universities for sympathetically dealing with payment by students. During the hearing, the counsel appearing for the petitioner submitted that the plea is filed for the larger interest of the students and that it is not seeking forfeiture of fees, but relaxation.

Justice Bhushan, one of the judges on the bench, observed that the court had earlier dismissed similar matters and the bench had said petitioners can go to the relevant High Courts because all universities, states have different conditions and requirements.