The Delhi High Court has sought responses of the Centre and the National Institute of Fashion Technology (NIFT) on an appeal against a single judge order dismissing the pleas of some students challenging the hike in fees by the institute during the COVID-19 pandemic.
A bench of Chief Justice D N Patel and Justice Jyoti Singh issued notices to the Ministry of Textiles and NIFT, seeking their stand on the petition moved by some students of the institute against its circulars issued in July and August last year hiking its fees.
The students, represented by advocates Abhik Chimni and Lakshay Garg, have sought setting aside the single judge’s October 21, 2020, order declining to interfere with the fee hike.
The single judge was of the view that NIFT’s decision cannot be termed arbitrary or oppressive.
NIFT had last year hiked its fees by 10 per cent for NRI quota students and 5 per cent for non-NRI quota students.
The students, in their appeal, have claimed that the fees was hiked “arbitrarily” and in violation of the NIFT Act of 2006 and applicable ordinances. They have further claimed that students and their families “are facing difficulties in paying this increased fee in the current financial crisis caused by the COVID-19 pandemic”.