Pvt. Educational Institutions cannot be allowed to create business empires charging exorbitant fees; Himachal Pradesh HC

A Private Educational Institution which approached the High Court against the orders to refund the fees it took from some persons desirous of getting admission for MBA PGDM Course, had to face the music as Justice Tarlok Singh Chauhan, who heard the petition,not only dismissed it with costs, but also made a highly critical remark about the institution to the effect that it is no less than a commercial shop, where the aspiring needs of the students stand defeated due to its malpractices and frivolous activities.

The Court taking judicial notice of the fact that number of fraudulent boards and institutions are coming up in the country and about the advertisements being published day in and day out in print as also visual media offering various coursessaid that all this with a primary aim of duping the public in the field of education, by presenting imaginary and illusionary picture for making a successful career to the innocent and vulnerable student. All this unfortunately is happening right under the nose of the State Government. It is difficult to fathom and believe that the functionaries of the State would have no knowledge of the same or would not come across such misleading advertisements, the Judge said.

Directing the stateto ensure that no private education institution is allowed to charge fee towards building fund, infrastructure fund, development fund etc. and to constitute a committee to conduct an inspection in all private educational institution in the state with regard to their compliance of statutory obligations , the Court also asked the committee to specifically report as to whether any University/Deemed University/Institution is offering any programme through open and distance learning (ODL) in gross violation of the policy of the UGC and, at the same time also issuing misleading advertisements by stating that their programmes are recognized.

By – Tania Ratnam