December 22, 2020.
TED NewsDesk, New Delhi: The University Grants Commission has received innumerable complaints from students that many private institutions or self-funded universities are not refunding the complete admission fee. The complaints were made by the students of 1st-year undergraduate and postgraduate courses for the 2020-2021 session.
This makes the students face financial issues, according to the UGC, “ln order to avoid financial hardship being faced by the parents due to lockdown and related factors, a full refund of fees be made on account of all cancellation of admissions/ migration of students, up to November 30, for this very session as a special case. To be crystal clear, the entire fees including all charges be refunded in totality (zero cancellation charges) on account of cancellation/ migration up to November 30.”
The notification issued by UGC further states that if a student cancels their admission till December 31st, the college should refund the complete fee. The colleges can only deduct money for the processing fee, that too up to Rs 1000 only. Most of the complaints have come from students who have taken admission in private colleges or deemed to be universities.
The notification states that the Commission is considering the matter rather seriously and has asked the universities and institutions to review their conduct and act accordingly, “It is reiterated that the UGC guidelines are to be followed mandatorily by all the universities in letter and spirit. Any institution/ university found to be violating the guidelines and refusing to refund the fee by giving its own interpretation of the guidelines shall be liable for punitive actions as notified in clause 5 of the UGC notification refund of fees and non-retention of original certificate issued in October 2008.”
Such a decision brings good news for students who wish to withdraw admissions from private and self-funded government and private colleges. It makes the colleges return the money, easing the problems of not just students but also their parents.
Source: Indian Express