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October 10, 2018
India's University Grants Commission (UGC) Cracks the Whip on Universities; Directs Each to Streamline its Admission Process and Disclose its True Worth to the Public, Or Face the Prescribed Punishment
Photo: The Chairman, University Grants Commission of India (UGC), Prof. D. P. Singh; Minister of State for Human Resource Development, Dr. Satya Pal Singh; and the Union Minister for Human Resource Development, Prakash Javadekar, releasing the Higher Educational Profile 2017-18, at the National Conference of Vice-Chancellors and Directors, in New Delhi on July 27, 2018. [File Photo]
New Delhi, October 10, 2018 — India’s University Grants Commission (UGC) is cracking the whip on universities by issuing stern directions on how they should treat the Admission Seekers. This was disclosed by the Minister for Human Resource Development, Prakash Javadekar, at a press conference in New Delhi today. The University Grants Commission (UGC) would issue a Notification on refund of fees and non-retention of original certificates by Higher Education Institutions to facilitate students in their admission.
The University Grants Commission Notification on Refund of Fees and Non-Retention of Original Certificates is being brought out for the facilitation of the students. Now no student will be required to submit an original academic and personal certificates at the time of submission of admission form and Students’ will get the refund of fee from the Institution if they withdraw their admission from the programme. This notification shall apply to Under Graduate, Post Graduate and Research Programmes run by Universities included under Section 2(f) of the UGC Act, all Colleges under their affiliating domain and Institutions declared as Deemed to be Universities under Section 3 of the UGC Act.
Salient features of the Notification:
• The HEIs (Higher Education Institutions) can charge fees in advance only for the semester/ year in which a student wants to engage in academic activities. Collecting advance fees for the entire programme of study is strictly prohibited.
• The institute will be required to refund the fees, in case a student withdraws from the programme, in the following manner:
- 100%: in case a student decides to withdraw 15 days or more before the formally notified last date of admission. Not more than 5% of the fees paid by the student, subject to a maximum of Rs. 5000, will be deducted as processing charges.
- 90%: in case a student decides to withdraw within 15 days before the formally notified last date of admission.
- 80%: in case a student chooses to withdraw within 15 days after the officially announced last date of admission.
- 50%: in case a student decides to withdraw between 16 days and 30 days after the formally declared last date of admission.
- NIL: in case a student decides to withdraw after 30 days of the formally notified last date of admission.
- The entire caution money and security deposit, which are not part of the fees chargeable, shall be refunded in full.
- The HEIs shall make the refund of fees within 15 days of receipt of a written application from a student.
No student will be required to submit an original academic and personal certificates like mark sheets, and school leaving certificates at the time of submission of admission form. In case it is needed, the institution concerned will only ensure verification of the same with the original certificates and these shall be returned to the students immediately. No institution can take an original document into their custody.
• No HEI can make it mandatory for applicants to purchase the institutional prospectus at any time during the time of the study.
• To make an applicant choose an institution wisely, all HEIs will be required to disclose on their website and prospectus the following information:
- General Status of the institution.
- Affiliation, Accreditation of the institution.
- Physical assets and amenities.
- Course-wise sanctioned intake of students.
- Various types of fees payable for different programmes.
- Total expenses payable for an entire curriculum.
- Last date of admission.
- Details of the faculty.
- Members of Governing Bodies and minutes of the meeting of bodies.
- Sources of income.
- Financial situation.
- Any other handy information about its functioning.
• All HEIs will be mandatorily required to have a Grievance Redressal Mechanism (GRM), according to the provisions of the UGC (Grievance Redressal) Regulations, 2012. This GRM shall be available on the HEI website, and the HEIs will be required to ensure that all grievance received are addressed within 30 days.
• This notification provides for initiation of the following strict punitive actions by the Commission against defaulting HEIs:
- Withdrawal of declaration of fitness to receive grants from UGC.
- Withholding of grants allocated to the HEI.
- Declaration of HEI as ineligible to receive any assistance from UGC for General or Special Programmes.
- Display of notice in newspapers & media and on the website of the Commission regarding non-compliance by the HEI to ensure that the general public, including candidates seeking admission in that HEI, are well informed.
- Recommending to the affiliating university for withdrawal of affiliation, in case of a College/ Institute.
- Recommending to the Central Government for withdrawal of Deemed to be University declaration, in case of an Institution Deemed to be University.
- Recommending to the appropriate State Government for proper, necessary action in case of University established or incorporated under a State Act.
Source: Ministry of Human Resource Development, Government of India.
|GlobalGiants.Com|
उच्च शिक्षण संस्थान अगर दाखिला वापस लेने वाले विद्यार्थियों को उनकी फीस नहीं लौटाते हैं तो उनके खिलाफ सख्त कार्रवाई होगी।
— Prakash Javadekar (@PrakashJavdekar) October 10, 2018
अब से किसी भी शिक्षण संस्थान को विद्यार्थियों के दस्तावेजों की मूल प्रति रखने का अधिकार नहीं होगा ।@ugc_india @AICTE_INDIA @PIBHindi #FEEREFUND pic.twitter.com/hE7iU5p0D2
Edited & Posted by the Editor | 4:24 PM | Link to this Post
