UGC Released Notice Regarding the FEE Refund Policy 2023-2024

The University Grants Commission (UGC) issued a Notice Regarding the Fee Refund Policy 2023- 2024 on 12th June 2024.

The University Grants Commission is frequently contacted by parents and students who are dissatisfied with the Higher Education institutes’ (HEls) refusal to reimburse tuition for cancelled or withdrawn admissions.

To enable them to enrol in the course of their choosing, students should be granted a complete refund of their fees within a predetermined timeframe.

The Commission discussed the issue at its 580th meeting, which was held on 15th May 2024, and decided on the following fee refund policy for the academic session 2024–2025 after taking into account the pertinent factors:

• When a student cancels their admission or migration up until 30th September 2024, the HEls will fully reimburse their fees, less a processing fee of no more than Rs. 1000, until 31st October 2024. This is in addition to any other provisions stated in any guidelines, prospectuses, notifications, or schedules.
• It will cover all higher education institutions, regardless of whether they were founded or incorporated by a state or federal act, as well as all institutions recognized by the University Grants Commission under clause (f) of section 2 of the University Grants Commission Act, 1956, as well as all institutions identified as universities under section 3 of the same Act and all higher education institutions connected to universities.
• The HEI in question will be in charge of refunding money for organizations, consortiums, committees, associations, etc., established with the intention of processing admissions, providing counselling, and collecting fees on behalf of participating HEls. These guidelines would also apply to these groups.
• The provisions outlined in the UGC Notification from October 2018 on Refund of Fees and Non-Retention of Original Certificates must apply to any admission schedule that extends or begins after 31st October 2024 (printed below for easy reference).

• Until the UGC issues an updated policy, this one will be in effect for the upcoming academic year.

It should be noted that the UGC has notified the Redressal of Grievances of Students Regulations, 2023, defining one of the grievances as “delay in, or denial of, the refund of fees due to a student who withdraws admission within the time mentioned in the prospectus, subject to guidelines, if any, issued by the Commission, from time to time.”

The Higher Education Institutions are asked to make sure that the fee refund policy is followed for the 2024–2025 academic year and to address any complaints in accordance with the University Grants Commission (Redressal of Grievances of Students) Regulations, 2023.

Clause 5 of the October 2018 UGC Notification on Refund of Fees and Non-Retention of Original Certificates notifies that any HEI that violates the terms of UGC Fee Refund Policy 2024–25 would face penal action.