CHENNAI,INDIA – Students at Sree Muthukumaraswamy College in Kodungaiyur,Chennai, have been locked out of classes since August 3 over unpaid fees. The fees were hiked for this academic year. Students say notice was too short,forcing them to cough up whole semester's fee in one go.
The private college upped fees by ₹1,000 for second-years, now ₹16,000. For third-years,a ₹2,000 increase,making it ₹17,000. They claim fees were announced on June 7,just a week before classes started on June 15,with full payment due by July 31.
“The failure to pay fees by the due date will result in non-enrollment of attendance in the portal,”
a faculty message warned . Usually,fees were paid in two parts. Now it's all up front,causing major stress .
“My father is a driver. We hardly make enough to make ends meet and to pay a huge amount altogether has been difficult. I have missed two weeks of classes. I do not know how I will catch up for the upcoming exam,”
said a second-year student. They also allege management threatened expulsion for protesting.
Students have taken their fight up the ladder,lodging complaints with the University of Madras and Chief Minister’s Cell. They even wrote to Chief Minister of Tamil Nadu,asking for help.
A senior faculty member disputes claims, saying students were told about the hike in April 2026. This would mean three months' notice. But did they tell their parents?
“They might not have informed their parents. They were given three months notice. We haven’t increased the fee in long time and hence, did it now,”
the teacher insisted. The fee hike,they argue, was overdue.
Rita John, Registrar of the University of Madras,acknowledged the complaints. The university oversees Sree Muthukumaraswamy College . She promised it would be looked into.
“We will look into the matter. The well-being of students is of utmost importance,”
John said. Students mainly want more time to pay,given their tough economic situations and many being from single-parent families .
“We want more time to pay the fees as many of us are from poor socio-economic background,children of single parents. We also want proper facilities in the college such as good playground, a well-built canteen,and hygienic toilets,”
another student demanded,pointing out other issues on campus.
