Pune: Savitribai Phule Pune University (SPPU) admission rates have reduced by 953 seats over the last two years. The students claim that the fee hike, faculty recruitment, and the drop in the rankings have impacted the overall administrations.
Pune University, once seen as the country's esteemed educational institution, has been facing several serious issues in recent years. From admission procedures to faculty recruitment, hostel facilities, fee hikes, high dropout rates, and other challenges have contributed to the SPPU’s declining ranking and waning student interest.
The SPPU also dropped from rank 37 in 2024 to 91 in the Overall National Institutional Ranking Framework (NIRF) 2025. The university was ranked 16th in 2018 and has witnessed a steady decline since then.
Siddhant Jambhulkar, a member of the National Students’ Union of India (NSUI), said, “The fee hike and the profit-making approach of the university are highly condemnable. Education should never be treated as a business venture. By earning profits from students’ fees, the university is engaging in economic exploitation and betraying its responsibility to make higher education accessible and affordable for all."
According to the data received through RTI, in 2021–22, the university received 32,913 applications, but by 2025–26, this number had dropped to just 15,676 applications. This clearly indicates a significant decline in students’ interest in the university. The data also reflects that the intake capacity has fallen considerably in 2021–22; it was 8,399, and in 2023–24 it was 8,724 (the highest), and then in 2025–26: 7,771, which is the lowest. Which means that within just two years, the intake capacity has reduced by 953 seats.
Students allege that the decline in admissions is happening due to the fee hike, despite low operational costs for online exams.
The data further revealed that the university earned Rs 1.63 crore from online entrance exams, of which only Rs 36 lakh was spent on conducting the process, leaving the remaining Rs 1.27 crore with the university. In the 2025–26 session, despite the exam being conducted online, the fees were increased from Rs 600 to Rs 800 for the open category and from Rs 350 to Rs 600 for the reserved category. The total income from the exams amounted to Rs 71 lakh, while the actual expenses were just Rs 8.5 lakh, allowing the university to retain over Rs 63 lakh.
"Maharashtra is facing the worst drought. Students from various parts of the state come to the university to study, and it is unfortunate that the university has increased the fees during such a crisis," said a student.
"Students are also not getting hostel accommodation. Staying in the city elsewhere is either not possible or extremely expensive. As a result, living here and continuing education is becoming more and more difficult day by day, said a student of SPPU, Onkar Binwade.
NSUI cited the reasons for the university’s declining ranking:
1. Faculty Shortage:
Many departments have vacant teaching posts. The absence of PhD guides directly affects research output and overall university ranking.
2. Dropout Rate Above 30%:
Students are increasingly turning to competitive exams due to poor employment prospects after higher education. Many enrol only for hostel and library access, without completing their courses.
3. Online Exams & Fee Hike:
Rural and economically weaker students face technical challenges during online exams. The online system has also led to irregularities, while fee hikes have added financial burden.
4. Hostel Shortage:
A large number of students, especially women, are unable to secure hostel accommodation, forcing many to cancel their admissions.
5. Lack of Research & Employment Opportunities:
The absence of adequate research facilities and job prospects has led to frustration among students, pushing them into an endless cycle of repeated degrees and exam preparations.
