Pune: Maharashtra Government Orders ILS Law College to Refund Rs 1.04 Lakh in Additional Fees to Student
Pune, 4th September 2026: The Maharashtra government has directed ILS Law College in Pune to refund ₹1,04,863, along with six per cent interest, to a student after concluding that the institution had collected additional fees without demonstrating that it had obtained the required prior approval from Savitribai Phule Pune University (SPPU).
The order was issued on September 2 by Maharashtra Higher and Technical Education Minister Chandrakant Patil following a hearing involving the Indian Law Society, ILS Law College, SPPU officials and student Mayur Suhas Garud.
According to the government order, the college collected amounts categorised as “other fees” from Garud during the academic years 2020–21, 2021–22 and 2024–25.
The amounts collected were:
₹36,790 in 2020–21
₹31,283 in 2021–22
₹36,790 in 2024–25
The total came to ₹1,04,863.
The government observed that the institution had not shown that it had secured SPPU’s prior approval for collecting these fees, as required under the applicable provisions of the Maharashtra Public Universities Act, 2016.
It consequently directed the college to refund the entire amount to Garud with annual interest at six per cent, calculated from the respective dates on which the fees were paid until the date of repayment.
Dispute reached Bombay High Court
Garud had earlier approached the Bombay High Court seeking action against the college and a refund of the allegedly unauthorised fees.
A three-member inquiry committee was subsequently constituted under the chairmanship of a senior official from the state’s Higher Education Directorate. The committee examined submissions from the student, the Indian Law Society, ILS Law College and SPPU before submitting its findings to the government.
The dispute also led the Indian Law Society to file Writ Petition No. 6357 of 2026, challenging government and Higher Education Directorate communications issued on April 13 and April 15, respectively.
On May 7, the Bombay High Court directed the authorities to hear all concerned parties and issue a fresh, reasoned order. A hearing was eventually held before the higher and technical education minister on July 28. Court records also show that the state was directed to decide Garud’s complaint after hearing the concerned parties.
Government rejects college’s argument
The Indian Law Society maintained that the fees were levied for additional facilities and services provided to students. It also argued that the applicable rules permitted colleges to collect charges for such services.
However, the government found that the Maharashtra Public Universities Act required the institution to place its proposal before the university’s fee-fixation committee and obtain approval before collecting additional charges.
The order noted that the college submitted its proposal concerning the additional fees to SPPU on March 23, 2023. It observed that this did not establish prior university approval for the amounts collected from Garud during 2020–21 and 2021–22.
The government further concluded that the college had collected considerably more than the rates subsequently fixed by the university’s fee committee for certain academic years.
Copies of the order have been forwarded to ILS Law College, the Indian Law Society, SPPU, the Directorate of Higher Education and Garud for further action.
