Almost a month after mid-day highlighted allegations that HK College of Pharmacy was overcharging students, the Fee Regulation Authority’s Grievance Redressal Committee (GRC), after initiating an inquiry into the matter, directed the institute to refund any extra money allegedly collected from students. The HK College of Pharmacy has also been asked to submit a compliance report within seven days. The committee has also asked for priority to be given to students who have actually submitted complaints to the GRC, while ensuring that no extra money is collected from students. The final verdict on the complaints, however, will be delivered after the compliance report is received.

“We emailed the college on Tuesday night. We are awaiting a response from the management. However, no students have received a response thus far,” said a pharmacy student, on the condition of anonymity. Students allege that the college was demanding an overhead of Rs 21,000 under the guise of ‘development fees’. According to the college website, a development fee is included in the total fees of academic year 2024-25.