The Tamil Nadu government informed the Madras High Court that appropriate action has been taken to refund the excess amount collected from students by aided/self-financing colleges in the State in the name of application processing fee. Earlier, K Kannaiyan, secretary of Tamil Nadu Universities and Colleges SC/ST Teachers Association, had filed a petition in the court complaining that the Gurunanak College in Chennai had collected an excess fee from SC/ST students.

In a status report, filed before the bench of Chief Justice Sanjib Banerjee and Justice PD Audikesavalu on Wednesday, the Director of Collegiate Education stated that all the aided/self-financing colleges in the State were inspected and it found that one college each in Vellore and Tirunelveli and six in Chennai were found to have collected an excess fee from the students.

The colleges refunded the amount, following instruction from the regional joint directors, it said. Accepting the submission made by the State, the bench disposed of the petition which had said the collection of excess fee from SC/ST students violated the Government Orders of Adi Dravidar and Tribal Welfare department and also the Higher Education department.