HEIs to refund 100% fee if admission cancelled before Sept 30

Hyderabad: The University Grants Commission (UGC) has asked all the Higher Educational Institutions (HEIs) to allow a full refund of fees to students who cancel admission up to September 30.

It also asked the institutes to redress any grievances by candidates who withdraw admission in the academic year 2023-24.

UGC further reiterated that any HEIs violating the UGC fee refund policy will face ‘punitive action’.

The new fee refund policy of UGC for the academic year 2023-24 says that HEIs can deduct a maximum amount of Rs 1000 as a processing fee if a student cancels admission or migrates to a different institution by October 31.

In a major relief for students, especially those opting for engineering, the commission has bought in the new rules to end the practice of institutes withholding certificates of students on account of admission cancellation or migration.

As per the new policy, a full fee should be refunded if students withdraw 15 days or more before the last date of admission in institutions whose admissions schedule extends beyond October 31.

However, students will get a 90 percent fee refund if they cancel admission less than 15 days before the last date.

Likewise, institutions must refund a 50 percent fee if a student cancels admission 30 days or less, after the last date of admission.

Also, no refund will be applicable if admissions are cancelled more than 30 days after the notified deadline.

UGC has instructed the HEIs to ensure compliance with the fee refund policy for the academic year 2023-24 besides redressing any grievances.