Indore (Madhya Pradesh): Students of Shri Govindram Seksaria Institute of Technology and Science (SGSITS) staged a protest on campus on Friday against a steep increase in fees, alleging that the cost of technical education at the government-aided institute has more than doubled in the past 3 years.
A large number of students gathered inside the campus, raising slogans and demanding an immediate rollback of the revised fee structure. The protest remained peaceful, with students sitting in groups and highlighting the financial burden on families.
Fee hike over 3 years
Data shared by students and institute documents show a sharp and consistent rise in semester fees:
2023–24 session: The semester fee was approximately Rs 49,400, while the first semester cost Rs 56,650, including admission charges.
2024–25 session: The semester fee rose to Rs 57,675 and the first semester to Rs 63,925.
2025–26 session: The semester fee has crossed Rs 1.05 lakh, with the first semester reaching approximately Rs 1.07 lakh.
Students claim the hike has effectively doubled the cost of education within a short span.
Break-up of revised fee structure
The sharp increase is primarily attributed to changes in key components of the fee:
Tuition fee: This increased from about Rs 33,500 to Rs 50,000 per semester.
Miscellaneous and institutional charges: These rose from Rs 11,875 in 2023–24 to Rs 20,150 in 2024–25, and further to Rs 51,900 in 2025–26.
Other components: Exam fees, development charges and university-related fees also contribute to the total cost.
Overall, the miscellaneous fee component has seen the steepest jump, becoming a major point of contention among students.
Students raise concerns
Protesting students stated that the hike affects multiple BTech branches, making education increasingly unaffordable. They argued that SGSITS, being a government-aided institute, should maintain reasonable fee levels and ensure accessibility for middle-class families.
Institute’s position
Institute sources indicated that the fee revision was necessitated by declining government funding, which has compelled the college to rely more on student fees to meet operational, infrastructure and maintenance expenses.
SGSITS ex-exam controller’s ‘death wish’ letter sparks row
In another incident, a controversy has surfaced at Shri Govindram Seksaria Institute of Technology and Science (SGSITS) after its former Controller of Examinations, Leeladhar Malviya, made a highly unusual request following his removal from the post.
According to institute sources, Malviya, who was recently relieved of his responsibilities, wrote a letter to the director seeking permission to “die outside his room.” The statement, seen as extreme and inappropriate, quickly triggered concern within administrative and academic circles.
The letter is believed to have been written in response to dissatisfaction over his removal. While no action followed the remark, its tone and wording led to widespread discussion within the institute.
Officials have not released a detailed public statement but are treating the matter as sensitive. Internal discussions are reportedly underway to understand the circumstances surrounding both his removal and the subsequent communication.
SGSITS, a prominent government-aided engineering institute in the city, has drawn attention due to the incident, which has raised questions about professional conduct and the handling of grievances in academic institutions.
