In a major institutional legal battle that could redefine the financial autonomy of self-financed legal colleges across Maharashtra, the Indian Law Society and the iconic ILS Law College, Pune, have moved the Bombay High Court. The writ petition challenges an unexpected, administrative communication issued by Savitribai Phule Pune University (SPPU) that drastically slashed the allowable “Other Fees” component for the college’s flagship three-year and five-year LLB programs for the upcoming 2026-27 academic year.
The varsity’s controversial order abruptly fixed the “Other Fees” cap at an abysmally low ₹4,340, a staggering drop from the ₹36,790 that the premium institute had been consistently charging since 2018-19 to sustain its campus infrastructure. The university’s sudden reduction followed a brief student-led dispute last year concerning miscellaneous fee heads, which had prompted an administrative inquiry by the state higher education department. However, ILS Law College has stoutly argued before the High Court that the university’s final communication was completely arbitrary, non-speaking, and passed in gross violation of the principles of natural justice without granting the historic college a fair hearing.
Represented by senior counsel, ILS argued that the slashed fee structure fails to account for the high-end student facilities, specialized digital libraries, placement services, and international seminar exposures provided uniquely by the institute. The petition maintains that forcing the college to operate at such a severe financial loss directly threatens its structural existence and compromises the quality of legal education. Seeking urgent interim relief, the law college has petitioned the High Court to stay the varsity’s communication and permit the continuation of the established 2025-26 fee structure to prevent complete chaos during the ongoing centralized admission process.
