Karnataka: Admission overseeing panel asks colleges to refund EXCESS FEE

Karnataka: The Admission Overseeing Committee's decision that colleges that have charged an excess fee from students who have been granted admission in private and dental colleges refund the over and above amount is likely to benefit hundreds of students.

The recommendation stating that college managements should refund the excess amount with 18% interest per year within 30 days of the order being issued was made by Chairman of the Committee, Anand Byrareddy, retired High Court Judge

The final word on it would be that of the Department of Medical Education which will make the final decision with regards to this and issue a direction to the Rajiv Gandhi University of Health Sciences

A rigorous penalty will be imposed on the colleges that fail to pay back within the stipulated period of 30 days.

Excess fees are the amount that the students were forced to pay over and above the fee fixed by the Karnataka Examinations Authority at time of counselling, along with the prescribed mess, hostel and university fees.

15 colleges have been identified by the committee that charged an excess fee for government-quota seats and 13 colleges that overcharged for the NRI and management quota seats. The errant colleges are on display on the KEA website.

Rs. 88,445 is the maximum “excess” fees that were charged for the government-quota seats by a Sullia-based college. Under the NRI and management quota category, the maximum “excess” fees run up to Rs.1.91 lakh. This is being charged by a Davangere medical college.

14 colleges have yet to come up with details of the fee charged.

With regards to dental colleges, the committee has pointed out that 18 dental colleges have charged excess fees for government-quota seats and 15 of them for management seats.

A sum of Rs.65,105 was charged by two Davangere dental colleges for government-quota and management seats.

16 dental colleges have overcharged students under the NRI quota category, and the maximum excess fees of Rs.2.36 lakh — has been charged by a Bengaluru-based college.

The committee has revealed that 18 dental colleges have not submitted fees details charged by them reports the Hindu.