CHENNAI: The University Grants Commission (UGC) on Thursday directed universities to refund the full fees paid by students who have discontinued by November 30, to prevent financial hardship during the lockdown.
The Commission has further said that institutions can hold back a maximum of only Rs 1,000 as processing fee from the entire fee collected if a student withdrew from a programme by December 31. The UGC said that it has taken a very serious view on complaints on this issue, and added that most of such complaints have come from students who opted out of private and self-financing institutions.
It said that the guidelines are mandatory for all institutions and should be followed 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 action,” UGC said in its latest notification.