New Delhi: The University Grants Commission (UGC) has warned colleges that it will take strict action if they don’t refund the full fees of first-year students who are unable to join their courses due to financial reasons or any other reasons.
Rajnish Jain, UGC Secretary in a letter to vice-chancellors of all colleges said, “The Commission has been receiving several references in the form of RTI applications/ complaints/ public grievances/ court cases in respect of non-refund of fee by the universities/ institution in violation of the UGC Guidelines. The Commission has taken a very serious view of such complaints. Most of these complaints have come from the students who have taken admission in private or self-financing universities and deemed to be universities
and later opted out for one or the other reasons.”
This came after the UGC had mentioned in its Guidelines on Academic Calendar for the First Year of Undergraduate (UG) and Post-graduate (PG) students of the Universities for the Session 2020-21 that because of the COVID-19 crisis, parents and students were facing financial problems and college should make sure about zero cancellation charges for admission up to December 31.
Rajnisj Jain also said, “To be crystal clear, the entire fees including all charges are refunded in totality (zero cancellation charges) on account of cancellation/ migration up to 31.12.2020. Thereafter, on cancellation/ withdrawal of admissions up to 31.12.2020, the entire fee collected from a student will be refunded in full after deduction of not more than Rs1,000 as processing fee.”
The UGC directed universities and colleges to make sure they comply with its directions or else they will face strict action.