IITs refuse refund to students, parents complain to Sibal

PANAJI: Students who applied to IITs but later opted out have not been refunded the fees. Their parents complained to Union human resource development minister Kapil Sibal that they haven’t received the refund even three months after the admission process was over.

This year, IIT admission was online replacing individual counselling. Students had to first arrange the 50-odd course options in order of preference online. They were then allotted a course on merit-cum-choice basis in the first round of admissions.

To be eligible for the second round of admissions, students had to pay Rs 40,000 as equivalent to first semester fees as acceptance of the seat allotted . Students who didn’t get a course of their first preference this year after round two and opted out of IITs are yet to get the refund.

However, IIT sources pointed out that according to government rule an IIT will refund the fee only if it managed to fill the vacant seat.

Around 10-15 seats in each IIT have remained vacant this year. About 40 students who had paid the fees but later decided against joining the IITs are demanding the refund.