Shimla institute fined Rs 7 lakh for delay in issuing degrees

Shimla, February 23

The Himachal Pradesh Private Educational Institutions Regulatory Commission (HPPEIRC) today imposed a penalty of Rs 7 lakh on Heritage Institute of Hotel and Tourism (HIHT) at Sanjauli in Shimla for the delay in the issuance of provisional degrees and detailed mark certificates (DMC) to students.

In September 2020, more than 100 students had approached the commission and represented their case alleging they had not been given DMCs and provisional degrees for the past three years. Following the intervention of the commission, 592 students were awarded degrees over the past three months.

HPPEIRC Chairman Major Gen Atul Kaushik (Retd) said a fine of Rs 7 lakh was imposed to set an example for other erring institutes to mend their ways. The HIHT management had made a declaration that there would be no irregularities in future, he added.

Sources in the commission said the institute was earlier affiliated with Madurai Kamaraj University and there were some issues due to which the degrees were delayed. It was affiliated with Himachal Pradesh University in 2017.