West Bengal Govt Directs Colleges, Universities to Stop Collecting Students’ Union Fees

MP, 4 June 2026, Kolkata: The West Bengal Higher Education Department has directed all universities and government and government-aided colleges in the state to stop collecting any amount from students under the head “Students’ Union Fee” or any similarly named fee until further orders.

In a recently issued order, the department said the direction had been issued in compliance with orders of the Calcutta High Court in connection with an ongoing case concerning students’ union elections and related fund collection.

The department said institutions where no duly elected students’ union or council exists must neither collect such fees nor incur expenditure from funds already collected under that head.

It directed that all amounts already collected be kept in a separate interest-bearing account and not be utilised or disbursed until further orders or until a students’ union is duly elected in accordance with the law, whichever is earlier.

The order also requires universities and colleges to conduct an audit of expenditure incurred out of students’ union fee collections since the last duly held students’ union election, or since the expiry of the tenure of the last elected body, wherever applicable.

Audit reports must be submitted to the Director of Public Instruction, West Bengal, within 30 days.

Institutions have also been asked to furnish compliance reports within the same period detailing measures taken to stop fee collection, secure existing funds and complete the audit.

The department warned that any violation of the directions would be treated as non-compliance with the High Court’s orders and could invite appropriate action.