M College in Montreal, CDE College in Sherbrooke, and CCSQ College in Longueuil have all been declared bankrupt in February 2022. These colleges collected millions of dollars in tuition fees from these students before closing. They were run by the same recruiting firm, Rising Phoenix International (RPI) Inc. From Rs 8-10 lakhs fees is charged to a student for studying in Canada. Now, the students are demanding their money back.
No action has been taken by Canadian government for students who were studying remotely in India from these colleges.
Jalandhar Deputy Commissioner Ghanshyam Thori recently took up the issue of admissions of Punjabi students into the educational institutions reeling under financial crisis and on the verge of closure, which is causing distress to a large number of students who have paid lakhs of rupees for admission in these colleges before Consul General of Canada in Chandigarh Mr. Patrick Hebert. The Consul General (CG) was visiting Jalandhar DC where he discussed various issues of mutual interests.
Now, people of Punjab have high hopes from Punjab CM Mann to take some action in their favour.
Gurpreet Kaur, a student from Punjab, was studying in M College. She payed 14-thousand-dollar annual tuition fee. She was about to go to Canada when the college declared itself bankrupt. Now, she and her family are waiting when her fees will get refunded. Many such students are waiting in Punjab.
A case has been filed in Quebec Court in the same regard. According to Court, to be eligible for a refund, students will have to reapply to the same three colleges. If after reapplying, their student visas are refused again for whatever reason, they will not get the fee refund.
Now, it will be decided in the next hearing if the students will get a refund or not.