http://www.jammag.com/careers/articl...ndex2.php?id=1 Amity Business School suedArticle posted on:
2006-01-04 16:54:44 6 former Amity Business School students have taken the institute to court following the withdrawal of AICTE approval to Amity's flagship course - the PGDM. This is the story of their quest for justice
- Rashmi Bansal
On Feb 26, 2005, Amit Bharadwaj received a letter from Sunita Singh (Director, Admissions), Amity Business School, Noida stating: We take immense pleasure in informing you that you have been selected for Post Graduate Diploma in Management (2005) (Approved by AICTE).
Accordingly, on 5th March Amit deposited fees of Rs 1,23, 150 (including academic fee for Sem 1 of Rs 102500, refundable academic security of Rs 20,000 & mediclaim insurance - Rs 650).
Three months into the session, there was a stunning development. On Sept 17, 2005
AICTE (All India Council for Technical Education) withdrew its approval to Amity Business School.
A press release signed by Prof R A Yadav, Vice-Chairman AICTE cited several reasons for derecognition. The Expert Committee observed that a "large number of unapproved courses were being conducted in the same premises, utilising the facilities and infrastructure intended for AICTE approved courses, thus diluting the standards of education".
Amit and his fellow students learnt of this derecognition through an article published in the Hindustan Times on 20th Sept 2005. The article noted that the decision "is likely to affect 300 students" but that "affected students would be accommodated elsewhere".
In the same article Ashok Chauhan, founder chairman of Amity assured students that "fees deposited would be returned if the matter was not sorted out with AICTE". K Madhav Murthy, adviser, AICTE also stated that "AICTE had asked the UP government to transfer students in neighbouring areas."
Former student Diptanshu Gupta recalls, "On Sep 20, 2005 Ashok Chauhan addressed 1st and 2nd year students and assured us that the matter would be solved in a week. He also promised a fee refund to students who wished to leave if AICTE approval was not reinstated".
No response - No refund
3 months later there is no resolution in sight. At least 10 PGDM students have chosen to leave but received no fee refund, despite formal requests to the management for the same. Ghaziabad resident Anshul Pant left the Amity PGDM course on Oct 13 2005. "I submitted an application to Amity stating my desire to with draw from the course and asking for fee refund. They took down my cell number and said I will be contacted once 'data is processed’ ". Anshul has not been contacted by Amity till date.
In a
letter dated 10th Oct 2005 (Dr P Venkateswara Rao), Adviser (UG/PG) AICTE, had asked The Director, Amity Business School to submit the details of students pursuing PGDM (FT) and PGDM (PT) with their names, enrolment numbers, academic performance with grade sheets, academic records etc "so as to facilitate necessary action to shift the students to other AICTE approved institutions in the nearby locality offering PGDM programmes".
However, none of the students have been transferred to neighbouring AICTE approved institutes, till date. "We were left with no choice but to send a legal notice," say six former Amity students. Accordingly their lawyer Naveen Kumar sent a notice dated 21st Oct 2005 to Amity Business School. There was no response from Amity, says the students' counsel.
A case against Amity Business School was filed in the District Consumer Redressal Forum New Delhi, Mehrauli, New Delhi which hears matters between Rs 1-5 lakhs on 29th November, 2005. The complaint states:
"That the applicant/ cancellation has no fault in the withdrawal of approval by AICTE to the respondent no 1" "That the applicant/ complainant suffered the loss of a year of his career and valuable time, as well as mental and physical harassment by the respondents."In addition to refund of fees advocate Naveen Kumar is seeking compensation of Rs 100,000 for loss of a year, financial, educational, mental and physical harassment by the respondents (Amity Business School).
The six former Amity students listed as complainants are: Deepak Soni, Jitesh Marwaha, Amit Bharadwaj, Anshul Pant, Diptanshu Gupta, and Deepak Bansal. A summons was issued to Amity Business School, Ashok Chauhan and Sunita Singh (Director, Admissions, ABS). Amity has not yet responded but a date of January 6 2006 has been set for the next court hearing.
Former student Jitesh Marwaha adds, "A number of students in PGDM have not submitted their next installment of fees as they wish to know what is the current status and validity of the course after withdrawal of AICTE approval." And the wait continues.
Amity -
03-04-2005, 06:01 PM
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