3 min readPuneApr 24, 2026 05:01 AM IST
Hundreds of current and former students of the Indian Law Society’s (ILS) Law College on April 23 submitted applications at the college demanding a refund of ‘illegally collected fees’. This comes after the Directorate of Higher Education recently ordered the college to refund Rs 1.04 lakh collected in such fees to former student Mayur Garud.
On the basis of RTI documents, Garud had alleged that “illegal fee” was being collected by the college under “unapproved heads”. The Bombay High Court earlier this year directed the Directorate of High Education to complete an inquiry on Garud’s complaint filed in 2025. An order was then issued by the Directorate instructing the college to refund Rs 1.04 lakh to Garud. The inquiry committee had also remarked that ‘it would be appropriate’ if similar refunds were issued to all other students as well.
Hundreds file for refund
At the Directorate of Higher Education in Shivajinagar itself, over 100 students tried to submit the application. Advocate Krishna Sathe, ILS batch 2025 graduate and NSUI leader, said “At least 500 students tried to submit the form at ILS in the last few days. Due to the heat and rush many forms could not be submitted. Now many have come to the Directorate to submit their application. With government workers being on strike, we were asked to go to the Joint Director to submit the forms. We will be transporting the forms there. Employees are on strike so there is no one available to give receipts.”
Two fourth-year BA-LLB students submitting their application at the Directorate of Higher said that they had submitted an application at ILS Law college as well. Another student told The Indian Express on condition of anonymity, “I have calculated that in 2022 they will have taken Rs 28,000 extra in the name of ‘other activities’ like maintenance of equipment, swimming pool, etc. It is not legal to collect such fees.”
A 2021 student from the college said, “I will be submitting my documents tomorrow. Many other former students are also collecting their fee receipts and other documents to submit their claims. ILS Law College gets admission from common agricultural families from across Maharashtra after CET was implemented. Now this writ petition has opened the eyes of the college.”
Dr Ashok Ubale Joint Director of Higher Education, Pune Region said, “Several students have given applications to us. We will inform the government about the same.”
The Indian Express visited ILS Law College for a response on the issue and was told that a response would be sent over mail. However, no response was received till the time of publication, and calls to Principal Deepa Paturkar (Additional Charge) went unanswered.
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