Regulator orders fee refund, asks HPU to amend norms

Pratibha Chauhan

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Tribune News Service

Shimla, August 5

In a significant decision which could come as a big relief for students and their wards, the Himachal Pradesh Private Educational Institutions Regulatory Commission has directed a nursing home in Nurpur area of Kangra to refund the entire tuition fee and other charges of Rs 1.09 lakh to a student who had to leave the course mid-session on account of ill health.

In this significant order which could have far-reaching implications Sunil Dutt Sharma, Member, Himachal Pradesh Private Educational Institutions Regulatory Commission, has recommended that the Himachal Pradesh University (HPU) must amend its norms which will enable students who are forced to leave a course mid-session on account of compelling reasons. The college handed over the cheque amounting to Rs 1.06 lakh to the father yesterday after the order was given.

“I find this particular case fit to be recommended to the HPU for making the necessary amendments in the norms, relating to students who have to leave an institution due to compelling reasons. Since this does not come under the purview of the commission, the HPU must make amendments so that the provisions of imparting education as a social obligation could be taken care of,” he wrote in the order.

The decision came on the plea of a girl student’s father that his daughter had to leave the course she had taken into admission at Kamakshi Institute of Nursing, Bassa Wazira under Nurpur sub-division in Kangra district and the tuition money was not being refunded. The student had deposited a sum of Rs 1,09,200 on December 24, 2015 for the tuition, security, transport and laboratory charges for doing B.Sc nursing course.

The father pleaded that since her daughter was facing medical problems, she had no choice but to leave in April, 2016. He provided the entire medical record of his daughter, while she received treatment at both private as well as Dr Rajendra Prasad Medical College.

The college, in reply to the notice, admitted that the first year B.Sc nursing student remained mentally disturbed. They also cited the provisions of the HPU prospectus where it is specifically mentioned that in case a student leaves the course after the cutoff date for admission or mid-session, the fee deposited would be forfeited.