The Covid-19 pandemic has had an adverse effect on all sectors of society, including education. Amidst the ongoing crisis, more than 400 first year law students from 12 different colleges in Pune under Savitribai Phule Pune University (SPPU) have come together to demand a reduction of 50 per cent fees for the ongoing academic year. They have written to Maharashtra chief minister Uddhav Thackeray and also to the SPPU vice chancellor.
Most of these students come from rural areas and are currently at their villages or home towns. Of the 12 law colleges they are studying at, six law colleges are only aided under SPPU and rest all other colleges are unaided with huge fees. Due to the lockdown the financial condition of the students is weak and so they are united for the reduction of fees demand.
“In the last academic year, the admissions for first year went on till December 2019 and the actual classroom lectures started very late. While the second semester started late in the month of March this year and hardly 10 classroom lectures took place after which a countrywide lockdown was announced. Since then, none of the students have gone to college and the syllabus is covered online. So our demand is to reduce this academic year fee by 50 per cent and give us instalment options to pay the fees,” said Karan Naiknaware from ILS Law College.
“During May 19 to May 25, 2020, we conducted an online survey of law students from these 12 law colleges about the fees. The result of the survey was that majority of students which is 99.3 per cent students are in favour of fees reduction by 50 per cent for this academic year.” he added.
{{/usCountry}}“During May 19 to May 25, 2020, we conducted an online survey of law students from these 12 law colleges about the fees. The result of the survey was that majority of students which is 99.3 per cent students are in favour of fees reduction by 50 per cent for this academic year.” he added.
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