Pune: Savitribai Phule Pune University (SPPU) has announced a 20% rise in examination fees for the upcoming 2025–26 academic year, sparking widespread anger among student unions. The revised structure will cover all courses offered under both the older 2019 curriculum and the National Education Policy (NEP) framework.
According to a notification issued on September 18 and signed by Professor Prabhakar Desai, officiating director of the Board of Examinations and Evaluation, the hike comes after a gap of seven years. The university explained that the increase was necessary to meet additional expenses caused by reforms in the examination and evaluation systems under NEP.
SPPU had earlier approved a 15% increment every two years starting from 2018–2020, but the implementation was stalled due to the COVID-19 pandemic. Officials noted that although a 55% hike had accumulated over the years, the administration opted for only a 20% raise to reduce the burden on students.
Despite this explanation, the move has triggered sharp backlash. Siddhant Jambhulkar, president of the NSUI unit at SPPU, termed the decision “financial exploitation,” accusing the administration of slowly transforming the public university into a private-style institution. He also pointed out recent fee impositions for entrance tests, extra credit courses, and even faculty recruitment processes.
Echoing similar views, Rahul Sasane from the University Student Struggle Action Committee criticized the university for putting additional financial pressure on students. Meanwhile, the ABVP, a student body backed by the RSS, has yet to issue a response.
