Mumbai: A group of Senate members affiliated to Aaditya Thackeray-led Yuva Sena from the University of Mumbai (MU) on Friday urged the state government to advocate for the removal of universities and colleges from the scope of Goods and Services Tax (GST), warning that the tax burden could significantly increase financial pressure on students.
About The Appeal
This appeal follows a recent notice from the Central GST Department, which demanded that MU pay Rs 16.90 crore in tax dues dating back to 2017. The demand by the GST Department has sparked concerns over the impact on students. Senate members argue that such a significant financial obligation will inevitably lead to higher fees.
In a memorandum to Higher and Technical Education Minister Chandrakant Patil and university Vice-Chancellor Prof Ravindra Kulkarni, they stated, “If such a significant tax amount is levied, the burden will ultimately fall on the students.” MU, with its 850 affiliated colleges and nearly one million students, relies heavily on student fees to cover its operational costs.
Senate members warn that any additional tax liability could disproportionately affect students from economically weaker backgrounds. “The colleges and the university manage their daily operational expenses through the fees collected from students,” the memorandum read. The issue has gained further attention following a recent ruling by the Goa Bench of the Bombay High Court, which quashed a similar GST demand raised on regulatory charges collected by Goa University.
