UGC again warns institutes against keeping original certificates of students

The University Grants Commission (UGC) has once again warned education institutes against keeping the original certificates of students at the time of admission. The higher education regulator directed all the institutes to return the certificates immediately after verification and be satisfied with their self-attested copies. The need of giving a warning was felt after a large number of students continue complaining about the malpractice despite the commission issuing such notifications in the past.

"The commission has notified UGC (Grievance Redressal) Regulations, 2012 on redressal of multifarious grievances of students. But given the sheer volume of the complaints, the commission felt the need to notify elaborate instructions so as to curb such malpractices," the UGC said in its notification. It instructed that no institution will insist on submission of original certificates such as mark sheets, school-leaving certificates. "The submission of self-attested copies shall be mandatory".

It said it is mandatory for the institutions to return the original certificates immediately to students after physical verification in their presence, and "strictly prohibited" them from taking the certificates into custody anytime "under any circumstance". The Commission prohibited the charging of fees in advance for a year or a semester. It also warned institutes against forcing students to buy the institutions' prospectus, leaving it to students' choice and directing them to upload all relevant information on their website.

The decision came after the Ministry noticed that the students were facing several problems during admissions, due to coercive and profiteering institutional practices being adopted by some institutions. For the facilitation of the students, the ‘University Grants Commission Notification on Refund of Fees and Non Retention of Original Certificates’ will be brought out.