Ludhiana: Punjab Technical University (PTU) affiliated colleges are required to refund the fee of the students leaving the college as per a new directive issued by All India Council of Technical Education (AICTE), New Delhi. The regulation directs the colleges to withhold only Rs 1000 from students who leave the college before the course commences.
Even if the student leaves the course after the classes have begun, the colleges will be allowed only to retain the monthly fees and the hostel rent for the duration the student was enrolled in the college. Earlier, PTU used to allow colleges to retain 10% of the fee charged on behalf of students, who changed colleges before a given date. Moreover, if a student shifts from the college after the given date, the college use to retain the entire fee paid by the student.
Vijay Asdhir, Director, Khalsa Institute of Management and Technology mentioned that colleges will be losing 15-20% of their good students with the implementation of the policy as they are forced to return the fee as per the regulations. Presently, there are 210 regular colleges in the state and 1050 distance education centers affiliated to PTU. As per the records around 1.25 lakh students studying in distance education program and nearly 1 lakh students are studying in regular colleges.
