NSUI opposes fee hike, GIPE says revision to meet rising costs

Pune: The Gokhale Institute of Politics and Economics (GIPE) has defended the almost 50% fee hike of many courses for academic year 2026-27 even as the Maharashtra unit of the National Students’ Union of India (NSUI) has opposed the sharp increase saying it will make higher education unaffordable for many students.The institute said the increase is a limited and carefully considered measure to partially offset rising operational and academic expenses, while maintaining educational quality and student support.Meanwhile, NSUI state general secretary Krishna Sathe submitted a letter to GIPE vice-chancellor Umakant Dash on Wednesday, saying the hike be withdrawn immediately and last year’s fee structure be retained.According to NSUI, fees for several undergraduate and postgraduate programmes have increased substantially. The fee for MSc economics (PSHE) has increased from Rs97,000 to Rs2.19 lakh, while MSc economics (ABE) has gone up from Rs1.82 lakh to Rs2.19 lakh. The fee for the aided MA economics programme, including deposit, has risen from Rs77,120 to Rs1.58 lakh.Similarly, the fee for MSc economics (public policy) has increased from Rs2.8 lakh to Rs3 lakh, while MSc economics (geopolitics and geoeconomics), MSc financial economics and MSc international business economics and finance programmes have each seen revisions from Rs2.5 lakh to Rs 3 lakh. The fee for BSc economics has increased from Rs1.89 lakh to Rs2.28 lakh. The institute has also introduced BSc economics (data science) under the revised fee structure.NSUI said the aided MA economics programme has witnessed an increase of over 100%, while the MSc economics (PSHE) programme has seen an increase of over 125%.The student body said, “Students and parents are already facing financial difficulties due to rising inflation, unemployment and increasing educational expenses. Such a steep fee hike places an additional burden and limits access to higher education.”Sathe said, “The fee hike is arbitrary and unfair, implemented without considering the financial condition of students. Education should not become a commodity. If the decision is not reversed, Maharashtra NSUI will launch an agitation to protect students’ rights.”GIPE responded through a statement on Wednesday: “The autonomous institution remains committed to accessible, high-quality education. The revised fee structure reflects only a partial adjustment to meet rising operational and academic costs, with GIPE continuing to bear a substantial share of the expenses.”The institute also said fees across master’s programmes have been rationalised to ensure greater parity among courses and avoid distortions in student preferences, while maintaining academic standards and support services.