UGC Ultimatum to Universities: Action to be Taken if Fee Refunds are Withheld

The University Grants Commission (UGC) has requested the Governors of various states to intervene, following instances where higher education institutions have refused to refund fees after the cancellation of admissions.

It is not uncommon for students to enroll in a university and subsequently cancel their admission within a specified timeframe. In such cases, universities often refuse to provide a refund; however, such arbitrary behavior by universities will no longer be tolerated. The University Grants Commission (UGC) has sought the intervention of state Governors to address the refusal by higher education institutions to issue fee refunds following admission cancellations. The communication includes a list of 150 complaints against 82 institutions in Tamil Nadu, about admissions cancelled between the 2021-2022 and 2025-2026 academic years. In these instances, students had paid fees ranging from ₹2,535 to ₹4 lakh.

According to the details provided alongside the UGC’s communication, the listed institutions include 11 deemed universities, 3 private universities, 16 public universities/government institutions, and 54 private colleges. In a demi-official letter dated October 7, UGC Secretary Professor Shyama Rath stated that the Commission has made significant efforts to ensure compliance with its regulations—including forwarding student grievances to the respective institutions and convening consultative meetings. However, these measures have failed to yield the desired results, as the institutions continue to disregard the guidelines. This letter was sent to the secretaries of the Governors across 28 states, including Tamil Nadu.

Failure to Refund Fees: A Violation of Student Rights

UGC Secretary Professor Shyam Rath stated that actions such as the failure to refund fees not only violate students' rights but also undermine the integrity and credibility of the higher education system. Despite repeated follow-ups—both in writing and via telephone—with the concerned universities and their affiliated colleges, many institutions continue to disregard UGC directives, causing unnecessary hardship to students. Consequently, the UGC has requested the offices of the respective Governors to ensure the strict implementation of fee refund policies and to issue directives to these institutions, warning them against any further violations.

Which candidates are eligible for a fee refund?

According to the UGC notification, if a student cancels their admission 15 days or more before the prescribed last date for admission, they are entitled to a 100% fee refund; if the cancellation occurs less than 15 days before the deadline, a 90% refund applies. Furthermore, 80% of the fee will be refunded if cancellation occurs 15 days after the deadline, and 50% if it occurs 30 days after the deadline. No refunds will be provided if the cancellation takes place more than 30 days after the deadline.

List of institutions failing to refund fees

In the letters addressed to the Governors, the UGC has included a list of institutions that have failed to refund student fees. This includes 572 cases in Uttar Pradesh alone, along with 309 cases in Delhi, 148 in West Bengal, 132 in Karnataka, and 33 in Bihar. According to the UGC, such instances have been reported across 29 states and union territories in the country.

What action can be taken against universities?

The UGC has made it clear that any university found in violation of the fee refund policy will face punitive action. Punitive measures include withholding grant-in-aid to the university, declaring institutions ineligible for the Commission’s assistance schemes, publicly announcing the names of such institutions on the Commission’s website, recommending the withdrawal of affiliation (in the case of colleges) from the affiliating university, and advising the state or central government to take appropriate action.