APG varsity told to refund security, hostel fee to student

Bhanu P Lohumi

Tribune News Service

Shimla, April 22

The Himachal Pradesh Private Educational Institutions Regulatory Commission (HPPEIRC) has directed the AP Goyal University (Shimla) to refund security and other hostel charges to a student of MCA, who stayed in the hostel as well as in the university for one day.

Varsha Salve in her complaint filed online alleged that she had taken admission in AP Goyal University in MCA on September 11, 2014, and was allotted hostel but due to “non-providing” of facilities as informed, she left the university as well as the hostel on the next day.

She said the university refused to entertain her request for refund of security amounting to Rs 10,000 and hostel charges amounting to Rs 20,000.

The regulator sent a notice to the university on October 27, 2014, and sought reasons for not refunding the security and other charges but it did not respond. Later, a reminder was sent on December 8, 2014. The Registrar on January 5, 2016, appeared on the behalf of the university and the complainant was also present in person.

The regulator pointed out that the university had not clearly mentioned in the receipt and also noted that quantum of the hostel fee was not in conformity to any quantum of charges mentioned against approved “hostel charges” head. The government had not allowed fee to be charged as “others” head and the university has clearly deviated from the approved fee structure issued by the government by charging Rs 20,000 against “hostel fee” and Rs 1,000 against “others” heads.

The commission in its order said that Varsha Salve left the university on the ground that there were no facilities/ amenities available as boasted by the university which discouraged her to continue with her studies in the university and held that she is entitled for the refund of Security amount of Rs 10,000.

Further it can be safely presumed that the hostel charges included Rs 5,000 as the hostel security and of the remaining amount of Rs 15,000, the university may retain Rs 2,000 as the complainant only spent one night and that too allegedly without electricity.

The regulator in its order clearly said that “I am of the firm view that the amount of caution money of Rs 10,000 and hostel fee of Rs 18,000 are refundable and direct the respondent university to pay the entire amount of Rs 28,000 to the complainant within 10 days.

Varsha Salve stated before the regulator that “on the basis of facilities shown in prospectus and information available at internet, I came to Shimla from Mumbai and took admission in AP Goyal University and deposited Rs 31,000 in cash towards hostel fee / security and for tuition fee.

She said that she stayed for one day in APG Hostel but no facilities like water and light were available and left the APG University without attending any class and took admission in Bahra University where she is doing MCA.