PUCIT overcharges admission forms fee from thousands

Lahore: The Punjab University College of Information Technology has charged 1200 rupees from over seven thousand candidates who have applied for its BS programmes against prescribed fee of Rs 100 as per rules, looting hundreds of thousands of rupees from the poor and middle class strata of society.

Taking notice of the issue, PU Registrar Dr Liaqat Ali has ordered PUCIT Principal Dr Mansoor Sarwar to return 1100 rupees to the candidates who have applied for admission. According to details, it was decided in the meeting of PU’s central Admission Committee held on August 22, 2015 that Rs 100 (one hundred) processing fee will be charged from students.

All the departments of Punjab University except PUCIT are charging rupees one hundred from candidates for each admission form and charging Rs 200 for prospectus. On the contrary, PUCIT is demanding Rs 1200 demand draft in favor of Principal PUCIT from candidates for online processing of admission forms without providing any prospectus to candidates.

A PU teacher said that it was the highest-ever admission form fee which was being charged by PUCIT or any other public sector academic institution in Pakistan. Moreover, candidates are also paying extra bank charges for demand draft in favor of PUCIT Principal.

A large number of students have registered protest against PUCIT Principal Dr Mansoor Sarwar as hundreds of poor candidates, whose name could appear in the final merit lists, had not applied because of heavy admission form processing fee. Taking notice of the issue, PU Registrar Prof Dr Liaqat Ali has said in a letter to PUCIT Principal dated September 17 vide diary no 635/R that it was a clear violation of the committee’s decision that Dr Sarwar was charging Rs 1200 for single application form with no prospectus.

He directed Dr Sarwar to refund excess amount charged from applicants i.e. Rs 1100. He also warned Dr Sarwar that why a disciplinary action should not be initiated against him on this clear violation.