Synopsis: A sudden and steep fee hike at Kerala’s state-run agricultural colleges has plunged hundreds of students and their families into distress, with tuition charges nearly tripling from ₹24,000 to ₹72,000 per year. Many first-year students, including those from middle-class and farming backgrounds, now face the painful choice between continuing their studies or burdening their families with fresh loans and pledged gold.

Sabaha I, a first-year BSc (Hons) student from Alappuzha, Kerala, spent two years preparing for NEET, the pre-medical test, before securing admission to Kerala Agricultural University (KAU).

“We got admission based on our NEET ranking and referred to the previous year’s fee structure to decide whether it was affordable. Last year, the tuition fee was ₹11,450 per s

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