Universal Business School — Universal not agreeing to give full refund for advance fees even before classes have not started in covid out burst

Zulfa baig

Jun 11, 2021

Address:	Universal Business School, Kushivili, PO Gaurkamath, Vadap, Karjat – 410201, Dist. Raigad, Maharashtra
Website:	www.univesalbusinessschool.com

Good afternoon sir/mam

I mis.zulfa baig is writing this application for complain because my collage is not refund the fees after admission cancellation no classes were started no education aid was given what is the dedication for. In universal business school as i took admission in theire pgdm + gmp dual program in the month of November and paid 1 lack rupees as admission confirmation fees in with 50 thousand was confirmation fees for the pgdm (postgraduation diploma in management)form ubs and 50 thousand for gmp (global management programme) affiliated course form cardiff Metropolitan university in United kingdom. We were willing to take admissions in the university until the 2nd wave of covid hit India and the 2nd lockdown made use financially very weak to be able to afford the couse even if we took a loan we would not able to pay the remaining fees and other instalment that were coming up back to back so we decided to cancel the admission before there were any official classes stared that was supposed to start on 8th of july 2021 but was to the month of August. On 20th may that was before then deadline for cancellation of admission i wote a official email ( i have attached below )for admission cancellation and requesting refund for the whole 1 lack rupees and consider the situation of covid and lockdown and refund me all the fees paid but now they are saying that out of 1 lack 50, 000 for the gmp program will not be refunded as their policy but in this situation of crisis when we are cancellation the admission only because of financial crisis a lot of our family and friends were suffering from covid-19 and we lost some this year. I would have taken admission if the situation was getting better please help me get my refund amount back we really need it and it's not fair deduction such a big amount in a crisis situation. The collage did not even started not even even online they took advance fees noy not agreeing to refund .

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Universal Business School customer support has been notified about the posted complaint.

Jun 11, 2021

Updated by Zulfa baig I wrote a email to Cardiff met uk also but did not got any replay.

Verified Support

Jun 25, 2021

Universal Business School Customer Care's response Ms. Zulfa Baig Rasheed,

We are in receipt of your complaint dated June 11, 2021, submitted on the digital platform of the Indian Consumer Complaints Forum against our institution, Universal Business School, Kushivali, P.O. Gourkamath, Taluka Karjat, District Raigad, Maharashtra 410201 (hereinafter referred to as “UBS”). We address this reply to your complaint as contained hereinbelow.

1. At the outset, you may be please asked to note the following:
(a) You were issued an offer of provisional admission to the AICTE Approved Post Graduate Diploma in Management with Dual Specialization and Global Management Program for the Cardiff Metropolitan University, UK 2021-23 intake having reference no. Admissions / Fall 21-23 / PGDM + GMP Cardiff – 2YRS/12222 (hereinafter referred to as the said Program) with crystal clear terms and conditions for communicating the acceptance of the said offer.
(b) You conveyed your acceptance for the said Program by completing the Acceptance Form dated 03/12/2020 and emailing the same to UBS specified email address on 05/12/2020.
(c) Further, payment schedule attached with the admission offer letter issued to you categorically mentioned all the fee components of the said Program. The total fee of INR 10, 98, 000/- (which includes tuition fees, lodging & boarding - dual sharing as well as security deposit) was applicable to you.
(d) Also, the official Induction Program for the said Program held from 27/02/2021 was duly attended by you till 08/05/2021, thereby, conveying your intention to further pursue the said Program.
(e) Furthermore, you requested to withdraw your admission from UBS vide email dated 20/05/2020 for the financial reasons best known to you and was, therefore, informed to fill and sign the ‘No Dues Clearance Form’ vide email dated 27/05/2020 to initiate the refund process as per UBS refund policy and that you have not submitted the same for further processing of refund.

2. Further, it is submitted that UBS clearly mentions on its website its Refund Policy on cancellation of admission after the start of the course which is also conveyed to the student in its various communications. Accordingly, it may be further noted that:

(a) The Refund Policy o[censored]BS mentioned on its website which is in adherence to the AICTE Public Notice having reference no. Advt. No. AICTE/Legal/04(01)/2007 regarding refund of fees distinctly states that “should a student leave after joining the course and if the seat falling consequently vacant has been filled by another candidate by the last date of admission, the Institution must return the fee collected with proportionate deductions of monthly fee and and proportionate hostel rent, wherever applicable”.

(b) The Refund Policy in respect of the GMP component of the said Program i.e. INR 50, 000/- which is paid towards the Confirmation of Admission is non-refundable / non-transferable.

3. That you were made fully aware of the terms and conditions of the offer letter, fee payment schedule as well as the refund policy o[censored]BS, and only after that you and /or your parent/guardian has signed the Acceptance Letter dated 03/12/2020 and transferred the sum of INR 1, 00, 000/- (Rupees One Lakh Only) to UBS towards confirmation of your admission to the said Program, tuition fees and lodging and boarding fees as per the payment schedule that was applicable to you.

4. Further, you may please be asked to note the following:

(a) UBS has been following the AICTE directives since its inception in terms of the Refund of the Admission Fee for the PGDM program and it complies dutifully to all the AICTE guidelines, rules & regulations and have done so in your case as well.

(b) That as per the AICTE norms, you are liable to get a refund of your PGDM confirmation fee of INR 50, 000/- after deducting INR 1, 000/- since your admission withdrawal request has been received prior to June 01, 2021. The GMP confirmation fee of INR 50, 000/- is non-refundable.

(c) Further, the GMP program is an add-on certification and is not under the purview of the AICTE norms. This add-on certification is completely voluntary and optional, with no obligation on any student to take the same. Students can opt for the PGDM program without the GMP Certification, in which case they are not asked to pay for the additional certification. UBS provides various certifications like Harvard Business School – Base Module Certification, Six Sigma Certification, etc. These are all separate certifications, which students pay over and above the PGDM and these are all voluntary. When you sign up for these International certifications, it is not under the purview of the AICTE as these are added to allow the students more qualifications and curriculum over and above the standard AICTE approved PGDM curriculum.

(d) It has been made clear in your Offer Letter that there is an amount due for the PGDM program and a separate amount for the GMP program. You were under no obligation whatsoever to confirm the GMP program along with the PGDM program. You exercised your choice voluntarily in this matter to select the GMP program along with PGDM and is therefore, obliged to abide by the Refund Policy o[censored]BS which is mentioned crystal clear on the official website o[censored]BS as well as the Offer Letter.

5. That UBS values your complaint, and you can approach us at any time. However, if you still want to initiate any legal proceedings against UBS, it can be legally instituted in the District Court of Alibag, District Raigad - 402201, under the jurisdiction of Bombay High Court, Maharashtra only. UBS reserves the right to defend the case entirely at the complainant’s costs and expenses, for indulging UBS in unnecessary litigation, which situation, UBS hopes, will not arise.

Also, we, kindly request you to provide us with the copy of the signed ‘No Dues Clearance Form’ for allowing us to initiate the refund process as per the refund policy and thereby kindly oblige.

Annexures: Copies of -
A. Admission Offer Letter - (Refund Policy clause highlighted)
B. Acceptance Letter
C. Refund Policy o[censored]BS – website image