Calcutta University asks law colleges to refund first-semester fees collected before notification

Calcutta University has instructed law colleges under its affiliation to refund first-semester fees collected from students for the five-year BA LLB programme for the 2026-2027 academic session. The directive, issued on October 18, 2026, comes after the university observed that several institutes were collecting first-semester fees along with admission fees, which violates the admission guidelines.

The university’s notice advises students and their parents to contact their respective colleges immediately to claim a full refund of any first-semester fees already paid. Approximately 3,000 seats are offered in the five-year BA LLB programme across six affiliated law colleges under the Department of Law, University of Calcutta.

Violation of Admission Guidelines and Student Complaints

The decision to mandate refunds stems from a resolution passed during a meeting of the C.U Law admission committee 2026, held on October 12, 2026, under the chairmanship of Vice-Chancellor Asutosh Ghosh. The University of Calcutta observed that several Institutes/Colleges were collecting the 1st Semester Fee along with the Residual Admission Fee, a practice that violates the 5-Year B.A. LL.B. Admission Guidelines for the 2026-2027 academic session.

Amit Roy, law convener, stated that the university had separated admission fees and semester fees since last year to alleviate the financial burden on students. However, the university received multiple complaints indicating that several colleges were charging extra by combining the first-semester fee with admission fees. The notice, dated October 14, 2026, was issued to alert students and parents, and colleges have been instructed to adhere to Calcutta University norms.

Centralised Admission and Fee Structure

Last year, Calcutta University introduced a centralised online admission procedure for the five-year BA LLB programme across 14 colleges for 17 courses. This reform was implemented to address previous anomalies and the lack of a strict procedure for law admissions. The separation of admission and semester fees was part of these reforms, aimed at protecting students’ interests.

Guardians and applicants have been advised not to pay the first-semester fee until an official notification regarding its payment is published by the university. The notice explicitly states: ‘If you have already paid, please contact your college immediately to claim a full refund of the first-semester fee.’

UGC Guidelines on Fee Refunds

The University Grants Commission (UGC) has also issued guidelines regarding fee refunds, applicable to all Higher Education Institutions (HEIs). Per a UGC circular issued by Manish R. Joshi, secretary of the commission, on June 12, colleges and universities should allow students a full refund of fees for all cancellations of admissions or migrations up to September 30. For cancellations made up to October 31, a deduction of not more than ₹1,000 as a processing fee is permitted. These guidelines were issued following numerous complaints from students and parents concerning the non-refund of fees upon cancellation or withdrawal of admissions for the 2024-25 academic year.

Written by Nishit Kumar

Nishit Kumar is a senior EdTech industry leader with over a decade of experience in building and scaling education platforms, shaping their product, content, and growth strategy. At FindMyCollege, Nishit oversees content and editorial strategy, guiding topic selection and content frameworks to ensure accuracy, relevance, and student-first value across the website.

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