Himachal Pradesh: Pvt university asked to refund excess fees, fined Rs 1 crore

SHIMLA: The Himachal Pradesh Private Educational Institutions Regulatory Commission (HPPEIRC) has directed the Maharishi Markandeshwar University (MMU) to refund the excess fee charged by it from two former MBBS students and also slapped a fine of Rs 1 crore on the university.

The education regulator in the hill state directed the MMU and Maharishi Markandeshwar Medical College and Hospital (MMMCH), Kumarhatti (Solan), on Monday to refund the excess tuition fee, university charges and hostel charges amounting to more than Rs 36 lakh to Dr Nivedita Rao and Dr Yamini and imposed a fine of Rs 1 crore on the university for charging the excess fees.

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It passed an order to this effect on complaints from the two medical practitioners, who were MBBS students of the university's 2013-14 batch, directing the respondent university and college to refund Rs 14,45,500 to Dr Nivedita and Rs 22,45,500 to Dr Yamini. A copy of the order was uploaded on the HPPEIRC website on Monday evening.

Observing that excess fees and other charges were recovered from 1,200 students of eight batches (2013-14 to 2020-21), the commission calculated the excess charges at Rs 103.96 crore on the basis of the documents submitted by the university and government agencies, and said the students can approach the college for a refund of the same.

The two-member bench of the commission, headed by chairman Major General (retired) Atul Kaushik, said the order will come into force with immediate effect and directed the respondents to deposit Rs 1 crore as penalty in the commission's bank account within three months.