HYDERABAD: Providing great relief to students who do not join institutes after being given admission, the University Grants Commission has recently directed the universities and colleges not to hold back students’ original certificates and fees. It has asked the institutes to maintain transparency in the admission process and see that there will be no complaints in that regard in future.
In a recent circular to all the state and central universities, the UGC said it had received many complaints from students that they faced problems while withdrawing admission from institutes. Several such complaints have been made in Telangana too. The Jawaharlal Nehru Technological University (JNTU) has received complaints against engineering and business management colleges in the state who held back the original certificates of many students when their fee reimbursement amount was not sanctioned in time by the government.
Referring to the same, the UGC said, “The Commission is still receiving complaints from students and parents regarding non-refund of fees by universities, colleges and institutions which are collecting the fee in full from those admitted; retaining their school or institution’s leaving certificates in original.”
However, this is not the first time that the UGC has warned the institutes on this matter. In a public notice issued in April 2007, it said, “Many students withdraw their admissions a few days after joining the course. If their seats are filled by other students, then the institute must return the collected fee after deducting the processing fee, which should not exceed Rs 1,000.”
In spite of the instructions from the UGC, the state universities have failed to address this issue with the affiliated institutes. In the wake of recent complaints lodged by students, the UGC has asked the state universities to get tough with colleges which refuse to refund the fee or original certificates of those who withdraw their admission.