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Ludhiana | Failure to refund fee lands coaching institute in soup
Neeraj Sood of Dugri submitted his complaint against Akash coaching institute, opposite PAU, Ludhiana, through its branch head, and accused the latter of deficiency in services, The complainant requested the institute to refund the fee, but it allegedly kept lingering on the matter
For failing to refund the fee to a student who withdrew from the classes within a week after not finding the coaching standards satisfactory, the District Consumer Disputes Redressal Commission has directed the coaching institute to refund ₹56,503 and pay compensation and litigation cost of ₹7,000 to the complainant.
Neeraj Sood of Dugri submitted his complaint against Akash Institute, opposite PAU, Ludhiana, through its branch head, and accused the latter of deficiency in services.
Neeraj, in his complaint, said his son Nikhil Sood joined a non-medical preparation course with the said coaching centre on December 12, 2017, and had paid ₹11,800 as refundable registration fee.
After the course commenced on April 01, 2018, Neeraj paid ₹56,503, amounting the total sum paid to the opposite party to ₹68,303.
However, after attending the course for about a week, the son of the complainant was not satisfied with the teaching style of the faculty members of the institute, and therefore, left the course.
The complainant requested the institute to refund the fee, but it allegedly kept lingering on the matter and offered to refund ₹16,000.
The complainant further requested the institute to refund the full amount after deducting 10% of the amount deposited with them, but to no avail.
The complainant said as per the agreement, the entire tuition fee was refundable if a student of any course, other than short-term classroom course, discontinued it within ten days from the commencement of the course.
The counsel for the Akash institute said the complainant’s son took admission in the institute for the first step course 2018-2020, and further averred that the complainant was informed about all the terms and conditions, refund policy of the course, and after understanding the same, the complainant paid the fee.
“No one can judge the coaching standard within a week,” read the statement of the opposite party.
However, the opposite party then agreed to pay ₹27,167 to the complainant
The commission in its order, however, observed that as per the refund policy reproduced in the written statement reflected that if a student of any course, other than short-term classroom courses, would leave the classes/course within ten days from the date of commencement of the course, the entire tuition fee would be refunded.
“The institute is liable to refund the amount as admittedly, the ward of the complainant attended the classes for a week. The complaint is partly allowed with an order that the institute should refund ₹56,503 along with composite compensation and litigation costs of ₹7,000 to the complainant,” the order read.
