Himachal's 3 pvt varsities face fine for non-compliance - The Tribune India

Bhanu P Lohumi

Tribune News Service

Shimla, March 16

Three private universities will be penalised for delay in compliance of ordered issued by the Himachal Pradesh Private Educational Institutions Regulatory Commission (HPPEIRC).

THE TRIGGER The Himachal Pradesh Private Educational Institutions Regulatory Commission had directed these institutes to pay salaries to 43 employees (not paid for almost a year) by March 16, refund security of over 300 students and give back Class XII original certificates to students.

The universities were directed to pay salaries to 43 employees (not paid for almost a year) by March 16, refund security of over 300 students and give back Class XII original certificates to students but these had failed to comply with the orders, said Chairman, HPPEIRC, Maj Gen Atul Kaushik (Retd).

Following complaints that about 70 per cent of the private universities had deducted salaries of teaching and non-teaching employees during Covid, the commission on February 24 had directed these to immediately release their deducted salaries.

In another case, an educational institute in Shimla had been directed to pay back the excess fee charged from the students, along with the charges of an advocate hired by them.

Meanwhile, the management of 45 colleges, where the principals were found ineligible for the post, would represent their case before the commission on March 18, 19 and 20. The regulator had sought a clarification from the institutes, failing which it would recommend cancellations of the affiliations to the government and Himachal Pradesh University.

The HPPIERC had received information from 70 colleges of which 61 were screened and 45 principals were found ineligible. Information from over 100 colleges is still awaited.

It was also pointed out that several colleges were either running without approval of the affiliating university or technical education board. There were no regular principal, selection procedure was not followed, the approval of the affiliating university was awaited in some cases while submission of incomplete documents and appointment not as per university rules were other shortcomings.

Published On: Wed, 17 Mar 2021 08:23:00 GMT