HC threatens IIIT officials of contempt action for failing to refund fee

Hyderabad: Justice K. Lakshman of the Telangana High Court on Monday issued notice to the Vice Chancellor and registrar of IIIT-Hyderabad, seeking their response by July 14 on a contempt petition filed by a student alleging non-refund of fees despite a court order.

Petitioner Dhairya Omprakash Jhunjhunwala said that a Telangana High Court order dated April 13 had directed the IIIT to refund a fee of Rs 1.59 lakh with 12 per cent interest per annum, starting December 19, 2020, but that the college officials failed to do so.

The petitioner had enrolled in the BTech course at IIIT in 2020, but quit after 96 days, with the officials’ permission, to join IIT-Mumbai. The institute refused to refund his fee and an ombudsman committee also rejected his application.

The IIIT-H said it would not abide by UGC guidelines on fee refunds issued during the Covid-19 period, as per which all institutes were directed to refund fees by not deducting more than Rs 1,000.

The institute said that only AICTE guidelines would apply as it was a technical course. At that, the High Court had penalised the institute Rs 10,000 and directed it to refund the fee to the petitioner within a month.