Students at Cochin University of Science and Technology (Cusat) have voiced strong opposition to the steep increase in administrative and allied fees introduced by the university. They allege that the revised charges place a significant financial burden on students, particularly those from economically weaker backgrounds. The university students' union and various student organizations have submitted complaints to the university administration, seeking a rollback of the increased charges.
Fee Hike Details
According to representatives of the university students' union, while the university officially announced only a 5% increase in tuition fees, sharp hikes in several administrative charges have effectively increased the overall financial burden on students by up to 135%. A comparative study conducted by the Students' Federation of India (SFI) highlighted substantial increases in multiple fees levied on students.
Key Increases
- Caution deposit collected during admission increased from Rs 1,580 in 2025 to Rs 3,000 in 2026, marking an 89.8% rise.
- Alumni fee increased by 31.1%.
- PTA fund for undergraduate programmes went up by 27.1%.
- Campus Radio fee was raised from Rs 530 to Rs 600, a 13.2% increase.
- RFID card fee increased from Rs 320 to Rs 400, marking a 25% hike.
Student Reactions
A large section of the student community comes from economically modest backgrounds, and such hikes make it difficult for students to meet academic requirements without stress, stated a letter submitted by SFI unit secretary Dhyan Krishna to the university registrar. Members of the Kerala Students Union (KSU) also raised the issue with the university administration.
KSU Cusat unit president Mohammad Rashid said, "Cusat already has the highest fees among public-funded universities in the state. For many programmes, the semester fee exceeds Rs 30,000, and it becomes significantly higher for students admitted under the All India Quota. The recent increase in administrative charges further worsened the situation for students."
Students have demanded an immediate rollback of the fee hike and a transparent mechanism for any future fee revisions. The university administration is yet to respond officially to the complaints.
