The Ernakulam District Consumer Disputes Redressal Forum has directed the School of Engineering, a self-financing college under the Cochin University of Science and Technology (CUSAT), to refund the entire fee to a student who cancelled his admission before the closing date of admissions in 2010.
The forum headed by its president A. Rajesh issued the directive while allowing a petition filed by Sriragh Karat of Palakkad.
According to him, he got admission on July 6, 2010 for the electronics and communication engineering course under the NRI category on payment of a fee of Rs.3,16,025. However, he could not continue in the course due to some contingencies.
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He, therefore, requested the college Principal on August 5, 2010, to cancel the admission and to refund the fees. The college authorities refunded Rs.50,000 but refused to refund the remaining amount of Rs.2,66,025.
The university and the Principal took the stand that as the first year B.Tech classes for the year 2010 had commenced on July 26, 2010 the complainant was entitled to get a refund of only Rs.50,000.
It had been clearly provided in the handbook and online prospectus the rules regarding refund of fees.
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The forum pointed out the UGC and the AICTE had stipulated that when a student cancels his/her admission, another student from the waiting list could be given admission and the former student should be refunded the entire fee remitted after deducting a processing fee of not more than Rs.1,000.