Uttarakhand Ayurveda Students hold Protest demanding refund of extra fees

Dehradun: The students attached to the private Ayurveda medical colleges in the state recently staged a protest stating that they haven't received the refund of additional fees collected from them, even after the Uttarakhand High court's directive on the same.

The protesting students have demanded the refund of extra fees charged by the medical colleges.

Over a week ago, the students had threatened of a class boycott alleging that the Uttarakhand Ayurved University is putting pressure on them to pay this year's academic fees as per the previous structure for the Ayurveda course (Rs 2.15 lakh per year), which is strictly in violation of the High Court order.

They added that the state government had also issued directions to these colleges for refunding the fee but they still did not give in, forcing the students to protest.

In the previous years, the fees for the Ayurveda course at the private medical colleges were increased. However, after the matter went to the court, it had been directed to the state government and the Ayurvedic University that no extra fees will be charged and the extra amount collected over the few years would be refunded back to the students pursuing Ayurveda course from the private medical colleges.

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Accordingly, the state government and the Ayurvedic University on November 2 and November 17 respectively released directions to the private colleges to adhere to the court order. However, the private colleges continued to compel the students to pay the extra fees, the students alleged.

"Despite high court order dating July 9, the (college) authorities have refused to refund the extra fees that were charged from the students earlier," the students rued.

A final year student of Himalayiya Ayurvedic Medical College and Hospital (HAMCH) informed that earlier the fee was Rs 80,000 per year and it was increased to Rs 2.15 lakh in 2015, without following the fee fixation committee rules.

"We have the documents wherein the Association of Combined Entrance Examination (ACEE) has written to the state government stating that they are not in a position to refund the students." the student added.

However, Ayurveda institutes' authorities said otherwise on the refund.

HAMCH Principal informed, "We are neither asking for the fee nor returning any money as the matter is under legal consideration of ACEE."

Uttarakhand Ayurvedic University Registrar said that they haven't received any letter regarding failure to pay back the students. "If any college doesn't adhere to the orders of the HC and the state government, we will be forced to take away their affiliation."

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Vice-Chancellor of Uttarakhand Ayurved University, Abhimanyu Kumar, when asked about the issue, told TOI that the university has already issued directions to all the colleges to refund the extra fees. "We are trying to sort out the problem but a case regarding the fees is pending in the court and we won't be able to take any decision till it's sorted."