Deemed varsities can't collect tuition fee during counselling

The Ministry of Human Resource Development (MHRD) approved a revised regulation of the University Grants Commission (UGC) which restricts deemed universities from collecting full tuition fee at the time of counselling.

In the revised regulations to be notified soon, UGC has tightened norms for giving deemed university status to higher educational institutions, made the approval of applications a time-bound process and removed a provision that so far restricted the deemed universities from opening more than six off-shore campuses.

The norms for opening off-shore campuses by the deemed universities, however, have been tightened as it would require the institutions to get clearance from the Ministry of External Affairs and the Ministry of Home Affairs before opening their campuses abroad. This will be applicable to all deemed universities, whether run and managed by private entities or run or funded to any extent by the government.

“The deemed universities can collect a maximum Rs 10,000 as counselling fee and the students will pay full tuition fee only at the time of their admission. This has been done to ensure that students do not have to struggle to get refund of their money they deposit as tuition fee from the universities in case they do not get admission. The revised regulations of the UGC have been approved and will soon be notified,” said HRD Minister Smriti Irani.

The minister said that applications by higher educational institutions for deemed-to-be-university status will be considered within six to seven months under the revised regulations. Besides, the inspection team will video record the entire infrastructure and other facilities, and upload it on the UGC’s website within 24 hours.

Smriti said that the revised regulations seek to ensure quality and standards of all deemed universities, and the provisions also seek to give them more autonomy.