Education not a business to earn profit; tuition fee must be affordable: SC

The Supreme Court on Monday observed that education is not the business to earn profit and tuition fees shall always be affordable as it noted that the Andhra Pradesh Government's decision to enhance fee to Rs 24 lakhs per annum, which is seven times more than the fee fixed earlier is not justifiable at all. A bench of justices MR Shah and Sudhanshu Dhulia on Monday made these remarks while upholding Andhra Pradesh High Court's order which set aside the State Government's decision to enhance the tuition fee payable by the MBBS students.

Andhra Pradesh government by its



Government Order dated September 6, 2017, enhanced the tuition fee payable by MBBS students.

"We are of the opinion that the High Court has not committed any error in quashing and setting aside the Government Order dated September 6, 2017, enhancing the tuition fee for the block years 2017-2020," the court said.

"To enhance the fee to Rs 24 lakhs per annum i.e., seven times more than the fee fixed earlier was not justifiable at all. Education is not the business to earn profit. The tuition fee shall always be affordable," the court said.