UGC warning to 3 Deemed Universities for Overcharging

Puducherry- Three medical colleges in the UT have received warnings from University Grants Commission (UGC) on account of collecting exorbitant fees from postgraduate medical and dental students.

The three deemed universities have been identified as Sri Balaji Vidyapith, Mahatma Gandhi medical college campus, Puducherry, Bharath institute of higher education and research, Selaiyur, Chennai (Sri Lakshminarayana institute of medical sciences, Kudapakkam, Puducherry) and Vinayaka Mission's research foundation, Salem (Aarupadai Veedu medical college cum hospital, Kirumampakkam, Puducherry and Vinayaka Mission medical college, Karaikal, Puducherry) reports

TOI.

The move came after lt governor Kiran Bedi, wrote to the organisation responding to a plea given by students. In their plea, students alleged that while the government fixed the fee for private institutions at Rs Rs 3 lakh and Rs 2.5 lakh for clinical and non-clinical programmes respectively, it was silent on deemed universities. Hence, these deemed universities were charging fee as high as Rs 35

In the communication,deemed universities are regulated by the UGC (Institutions deemed to be universities) Regulations, 2016. Quoting the relevant clause in the regulations, UGC said no deemed university shall demand capitation fee or donation in whatever nomenclature or form.

"The government decided that deemed universities are not under the preview of the fee committee. The government's stand is illegal and is not in line with the UGC regulations, 2016 issued for regulating the deemed universities," said the memorandum.

"If there are any fees prescribed in accordance with the fee regulations framed by the government or by the commission (fees committee in Puducherry's case) then the fees or other charges for admission shall not exceed the same," it said.