De-affiliate Sanjauli hotel institute: Himachal Education regulator

Bhanu P Lohumi

Shimla, April 6

The Himachal Pradesh Private Educational Institutions Regulatory Commission (HPPEIRC) has recommended to the Director, Higher Education, Shimla, and the Registrar, Himachal Pradesh University, Summer Hill, to de-affiliate the Heritage Institute of Hotel and Tourism (HIHT), Sanjauli (Shimla), and order its closure, observing that it was not in the interest of students.

The commission observed that the institution suppressed material facts, admitting that it charged excess fee from students of BSc HMCS and failed to provide any documentary evidence to prove that the college had been given relief with regard to providing distance mode of education.

The regulator also asked the college to issue the DMC (detailed marks certificate) and degrees of leftout students from Madurai Kamraj University and suggested the HPU to assist in migration of students to some other colleges after examinations for the current session.

The commission had earlier imposed a penalty of Rs 7-lakh on the college for not issuing DMCs to students.

The commission also asked the Registrar, HPU, to seriously look into the matter in respect of approval of courses, faculty, fee structure as well as affiliation of private colleges/institutes as per UGC norms to avoid serious violation in future.

Further, directions to all private colleges/institutes in the state regarding the approval of courses, fee structure as well affiliation obtained from the universities/appropriate authority will be issued, the order said, Chairman, HPPEIRC, Maj Gen Atul Kaushik (Retd).

The order also said the students were at liberty to approach the appropriate forum, if they feel any fraud had been committed by the institute.

It was alleged that the institute charged hefty fee from students and misguided them that it was running regular courses whereas it was running distance education courses and the fee structure was not approved by any competent authority.

Charged ‘excess’ fee from students

The commission observed that the institution charged excess fee from students of BSc HMCS and failed to provide any documentary evidence to prove that the college had been given relief with regard to providing distance mode of education.