The global pandemic has unsettled the lives of people in several ways. There have been many victims who have succumbed to tragedies of various proportions. Many families have lost their near and dear ones, some of whom were the sole bread winners. 

For those students who find it difficult to continue their education when faced with a financial crisis, the All India Institute for Technical Education (AICTE) has taken the initiative to offer a kind of redress by way of a fee refund to those who cancel admissions.

Most institutes follow their own rules regarding fee refund for cancelation of admissions. But this year, they will have to follow the AICTE guidelines. 

What is the fee return policy?

The AICTE has issued a circular directing all institutes affiliated with it to refund the fees in full to students who withdraw their admissions before November 10, 2020. The AICTE views the present pandemic situation as a national emergency. 

In case a student cancels his / her admission to technical institutions after November 10 this year, the institute can charge the student the tuition fees up to that point in time. But the institute cannot charge any fees for the subsequent semesters for students who withdraw their admissions at any point in time. 

The institute may retain a maximum of INR 1000 as processing fees and refund the entire amount paid by the student when they pull out of the seat. 

School leaving certificates

The institutes are also directed to return all the original certificates of students collected at the time of admission, in the event of a cancelation. 

Timeframe

The refund of fees and returning of the original certificates must be carried out by the institute within seven days of cancelation of admission.  

Admission deadlines

The AICTE has announced November 10 this year as the last date for withdrawals or cancelations of admissions to technical institutions. They have announced 20th October 2020 as the last date for the first round of counseling, and the commencement of classes on November 1.

Non-compliance

The AICTE, in its circular, further warns institutes that fail to adhere to the stipulated guidelines with strict action against them. 

MBA / PGDM

The AICTE has also revised admission guidelines for the MBA and PGDM programs this year.  The institutes have been advised to offer admissions to students based on the qualifying tests in case the undergrad scores are not available.

Institutes must exercise complete transparency by publishing merit lists for admission based on the students’ qualifying exam scores. But the institutes are also advised to give preference for admission to students with valid university exam scores over those students from the institute’s qualifying tests.

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