Private medical colleges cannot collect next year’s fee in advance
The Kerala High Court has ruled that collecting annual fees from students for the following year in advance when the previous year’s studies have not been completed by an institution is “profiteering,” and has barred private medical colleges in the state from collecting fees for any academic year other than the one currently being taught.
The high court made it plain, however, that its directives would only apply in the unusual scenario created by the COVID-19 pandemic, in which instructions for a certain year in medical institutions could not be finished in the time allotted owing to the viral epidemic.
“It follows that educational institutions are not permissible in collecting any fees for a period longer than the academic year in issue.” “They would be doing precisely that by collecting the third year fee while the student is in the second year of the programme,” the bench stated.
