MITHILESH KUMAR Vs. STATE OF PUNJAB

JUDGEMENT

(1.) Challenge in this petition is to the Notification dated September 9, 1999, Annexure-'P-4' with the writ petition, whereby fee structure for the students admitted to the Degree Program (1999 Batch) in the Sant Longowal Institute of Engineering and Technology, (hereinafter referred to as the SUET), has been revised.

(2.) The SLIET has been providing technical education in Engineering and Technology. For the courses run by it, Certificates, Diplomas and Degrees are awarded. The Degree Program was introduced in this Institute in the Academic Year 1993-94. The duration of the Degree Program is of three years. There are two categories of seats for admissions to the Degree Program, namely Vertical Entry Seats and Direct Entry Seats. Vertical Entry Seats are only for the SLIET students and Direct Entry Seats are for the SLIET students as well as outside candidates. Some of the petitioners are direct entrants to the Degree Program while others have taken admission under the category of Vertical Entry Seats.

(3.) The fee structure for admissions to Certificates, Diplomas and Degree Programs was detailed in the information Brochure for a SLIET Entrance Test-1999 (hereinafter referred to as 'the Brochure') which was issued on February 25, 1999. As per schedule, the total fee chargeable from the students seeking admission to the Degree Program in the SLIET was Rs. 7512/-. The petitioners applied for admission to the SLIET in the Degree Program. They received roll number slips along with notice (Annexure-'P-2') sent by the Chairman of the SLIET informing them that the fee/fund structure, as mentioned in the Brochure, had been revised and the revised fee/fund structure, as adopted by the Government of Punjab and duly approved by the Board of Governors of the SLIET would be operative from the Session 1999-2000. Thereafter, another public notice (Annexure-'P-3') was published in the 'Tribune' on August 17, 1999, informing the general public that the fee structure/ other charges in the Degree and Diploma level Institutions affiliated to the Punjab Technical University had been revised and made applicable only to the students to be admitted to the 1st year in Session 1999-2000 and onwards. It was also specified that the students admitted in the earlier sessions would be governed by the old fee structure and would continue to pay fee at the old rates for the remaining period of their Course. Upto this stage, according to the petitioners, no information was supplied to them with regard to the exact amount of increase of fee chargeable/payable by them. Rather, they were informed that whenever decision in this regard was taken, the same would be communicated to them.