Overview
- The High Court issued interim relief that lets private colleges take tuition directly from students for the 2026–27 year, with a requirement to refund the money if the case fails.
- The order applies only to the 14 private colleges that filed the case, and the court set the next hearing for April 30 to hear the state’s position.
- The judge noted long delays in government payments had hurt colleges, as petitioners said unpaid dues under the fee reimbursement scheme total about Rs 1,500 crore.
- The state’s lawyer acknowledged amounts are due but asked for more time to file a formal response, and education officials said the government is weighing an appeal.
- Student groups warned that upfront fee demands could shut out low‑income students covered by the scheme, which normally bars colleges by government orders from charging SC, ST, BC, EBC and minority students until the state reimburses.