Cash-strapped Punjabi University hikes ‘transcript fee’ by 40 times

BESIDES RS 20,000, THE APPLICANT WILL HAVE TO PAY 18% GST, ACCORDING TO THE DECISION

PATIALA : The fund-starved Punjabi University, Patiala, has increased the ‘transcript fee’ for students residing in India by 40 times from Rs 500 to Rs 20,000.

The decision will be effective from June 1.

Required at the time of applying for work permit or permanent residence (PR) abroad, an academic transcript is a set of documents pertaining to an applicant’s educational records, including details of course, degree, subjects studied and marks obtained. It is issued by the parent university from where an applicant pursued their course.

Besides Rs 20,000, the applicant will have to pay 18% Goods and Services Tax (GST).

Moreover, if a student requires additional transcripts, they will have to pay additional Rs 5,000 per set.

For applicants residing outside India, the varsity is charging $294 (Rs 21,700).

Panjab University, Chandigarh, charges Rs 525 as transcript fee each from those residing in India and $304 (Rs 22,000) from those based out of the country. The Guru Nanak Dev University (GNDU), Amritsar, charges between Rs 800 and Rs 1,200, excluding 18% GST, per document.

“It is open loot by the Punjabi University administration which is trying to fleece students to fill its empty coffers. For instance, a student requiring transcripts for immigration purposes for two-year MBA degree earlier paid nearly Rs 3,000 but now the varsity will charge Rs 20,000 besides GST for the same,” said Rashpinder Singh, an activist of the Punjab Students Radical Union.

“The union will protest against such fleecing of students and will raise the issue with varsity high-ups next week,” he added.

Vice-chancellor Prof Arvind said the decision was taken to bring uniformity in issuing and sending transcripts for students residing in and outside India.

“As per the present system, many of those applying for transcripts from outside India used fraudulent means to get their transcripts at cheaper rates. The decision will end corruption in sending transcripts and streamlining the whole process,” Prof Arvind said.

A senior faculty member said the varsity is receiving nearly 150 applications for transcripts for immigration purpose on a daily basis and, therefore, has fond it process more lucrative to charge excessive fee from students.

“The university completely failed to take note of the fact that most of the applicants residing outside the country are earning in hard currencies, while those in India are either dependent on their families or are working for meagre salaries,” he said.