New UGC rule grants relief to students; colleges now have to refund full fee

The University Grants Commission (UGC) has now directed all the Higher Educational Institutions (HEIs) to refund the full fee to students who cancel admission or migrate, up to September 30. This came as a relief for students and parents as they often tend to struggle for a fee refund after the cancellation of admission.

This new fee refund policy is applicable for the academic year 2023-24. On the UGC's 570th meeting held on Tuesday, June 27, it was decided that the HEIs can deduct a maximum of Rs 1,000 as a processing fee if the student cancels admissions or migrates to a different institution up to October 31.

According to the new policy, the institutions are now not liable to withhold certificates after admission and have to give a full refund to students if they withdraw 15 days or more before the last date of admission. This is for the institutions whose admissions schedule extends beyond October 31.

The students will get a 90% refund on their fee if they cancel admission less than 15 days before the last stipulated date mentioned in the academic calendar. Similarly, institutions should refund 50 per cent fee if students cancel admissions 30 days or less after the last date of admission. No refund will be applicable if admissions are cancelled more than 30 days after the notified deadline.

The HEIs were strictly asked to be fully compliant with the enforced rule and warned of non-adherence to provisions of the UGC fee refund policy 2023-24 and withholding of original certificates of students which might lead to punitive actions against the institutions