DEEPAK GUPTA Vs. STATE OF PUNJAB

JUDGEMENT

(1.) ON February 25, 1999, the Sant Longowal Institute of Engineering and Technology issued an Information Brochure and invited application for admission to different courses in Engineering. A fee structure was given in this Brochure. The charges amounted to Rs. 7,000/ - approximately. The petitioners applied for admission to the degree course. On May 20, 1999, or thereabout, the petitioners received their roll numbers for appearing in the entrance test. Alongwith the roll numbers, a notice was also given to the petitioners, informing them that the fee structure, as mentioned in the Brochure, had been revised and that the revised structure "as adopted by the Government of Punjab and duly approved by the Board of Governors - will be applicable from the session 1999 -2000 itself. The detailed fee/fund structure will be communicated to the candidates at the time of counselling." The petitioners appeared in the test. At the time of counselling, they were informed about the revised structure. A copy thereof has been attached with the writ petition as Annexure P4. The petitioners allege that the respondent -Institute has made an exorbitant increase from Rs. 7512/ - to Rs. 25,235A. According to the petitioners, the action of the respondent -Institute in revising the fee structure is wholly illegal and untenable. They have prayed that the notice, by which the petitioners were informed about the change in the fee/fund structure and the revised fee structure, as notified on September 9, ! 999, copies of which have been produced as Annexures P2 and P4 respectively, be quashed.

(2.) THE respondents contest the claim of the petitioners. It has been pointed out that the fee structure was revised before the petitioners had even appeared in the test. It was also notified in the press. The petitioners had taken admission after knowing the fee that was to be charged from them. Having taken admission, they cannot contend that the Institute was not entitled to revise the fee. It has also been pointed out that the revised fee structure is in conformity with "the prevalent pattern of the Government of Punjab, Department of Technical Education and Industrial Training." On this basis, the respondents pray that the writ petition be dismissed.

(3.) THE petitioners have filed a replication.