Smriti Irani directs JoSAA to refund fees to candidates who wish to surrender seats, fill vacant seats

HRD Minister Smriti Irani has asked Joint Seat Allocation Authority (JoSAA), which conducted counselling sessions for admissions to IITs, NITs, IIITs, and GFTIs to refund seat acceptance fee to those candidates who either wish to withdraw admissions or surrender their allotted seats.

The HRD Minister also directed the authorities to find ways to fill more than 3000 vacant IIT/NIT/IIIT/GFTI seats that was to be filled under JoSAA, according to media reports.

In a meeting held on Tuesday, August 5, attended by HRD Minister along with the top ministry officials and JoSAA authorities,  Ms Irani also questioned the JoSAA authorities on deviating from the court orders and HRD ministry guidelines on ‘Fee Refund’ and other aspects of admission policy that includes maintaining a long waiting list in case seats remain unfilled.

What does HRD Ministry policy say on 'fee refund'?

According to HRD policy on admissions into academic institutions, institutes are required to refund entire fee, after deduction a processing fee of not more than Rs. 1000, if a candidate wish to withdraw admission before the last date of admission. Also, the HRD Policy directs that “should a student leave after joining the course and consequently the seat falling vacant has been filled by another candidate by the last date of admission, the institution must return the fee collected with proportionate deduction of monthly fee and proportionate hostel rent, where applicable.”