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A 21-year-old student has filed a writ petition against his college and the university after being denied a hall ticket for not having a Permanent Registration Number (PRN). The third-year BA student at a South Mumbai college, enrolled in 2022-23 and now in his final year (2025-26), claims the lapse has blocked his exams.

Late registration

According to the petition, the college failed to submit his details to the university at the time of admission. The student admitted he did not provide the required documents due to “personal emergencies” and “confusion about the deadlines.”

Now in his final semester, the student finds himself without a hall ticket for exams. A Rs 2 lakh fine has allegedly been imposed on the college, while he has been asked to pay Rs 5000. He claims the college has refused to pay, and the university’s grievance cell has not resolved the issue.

Fine dispute

A senior college official said, “We reminded students about registrations; however, this student had low attendance. We have asked the university to apply fines from 2026-27, not retrospectively.” mid-day tried reaching out to the Mumbai University; however, no response was shared in time for print. Meanwhile, the petitioner refused to comment before the hearing. 

Penalty row

In his petition, the student has also sought that the university’s fines be declared “illegal” and “arbitrary.” The fines were introduced by the Mumbai University in January 2026. As per a circular attached to the petition, colleges are fined Rs 2 lakh if one to five students default on registration, Rs 5 lakh for six to 20 students, and Rs 10 lakh for 21 to 50 students, along with an additional amount based on tuition fees. Students, meanwhile, are charged Rs 5000 for delays.

Activist Speak

“These fines by the university are exaggerated, and no college or student will be able to bear such costs. As a result, it is the students and academics that ultimately bear the brunt, making them resort to legal recourse,” said Milan Patil, a student activist.