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Colleges face heat on fee refund
Chitleen K Sethi/Tribune News Service

Chandigarh, April 19
The All-India Council of Technical Education (AICTE) today tightened its noose around colleges, which do not refund fee to students who leave the college within a few days of admission.

Almost an accepted “racket” in many private engineering and management colleges in the country, students seeking admission to more than a single college end up being fleeced with colleges refusing to refund the fee paid by them in case they get admission in another college.

In many cases, these colleges even refuse to return their original certificates so that they are not able to join any other institute.

Empowering the students AICTE has, through public notices, asked them to report any such case to the council and punitive action would initiated against the erring college.

Talking to TNS, Narayana Rao, member secretary, AICTE, said, “Punitive action against the college could mean a reduction in the number of seats approved by the council or even complete withdrawal of approval and recognition.” The rule will be applicable to deemed to be universities.

The notice issued by Rao today in all leading newspaper states that in case a student who has taken admission in one college but gets admitted to another college before the beginning of the course, the college will retain only Rs 1,000 as processing fee and return the rest of the his fee.

In case the student wishes to leave after the course has begun and the seat falling vacant is filled by another candidate the college will have to return the fee deducting only the monthly fee and hostel rent for the duration that the student was there.

The council will now be announcing a website to receive complaints of students once admission to the 2007-2008 session begins in AICTE-recognised colleges. AICTE approves bachelors’ course in engineering, management, computer applications, hotel management and fine arts in institutes across the country.