DU held guilty of unfair trade practice

Delhi University has been held guilty of "unfair trade practice" by the SCC for misrepresenting facts in its brochure about recognition of Bachelor in Information Technology (BIT) course.

Delhi University has been held guilty of "unfair trade practice" by the State Consumer Commission for misrepresenting facts in its brochure about recognition of Bachelor in Information Technology (BIT) course by the University Grants Commission (UGC) seven years ago.

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The Commission, presided over by Justice J D Kapoor, has directed the leading university to pay Rs 32,000 to Sahil Sansi, who had taken admission in BIT course as the brochure stated that the stream was duly recognized by the UGC.

"Act of applying to the UGC for approval does not tantamount to the fact that the course is an approved course. Until and unless appellant was in possession of approval letter of UGC, it could not have either orally or in writing represented to the candidates that the course has approval of the higher education regulatory body," it held in an order.

The Commission noted that though the BIT course was later approved by the UGC, it was unfair on the part of DU to give an impression on the students of it having been formally recognized in absence of any official confirmation of the same at a prior stage.

The Commission's directions came while quashing an appeal by the DU against an lower forum order, which in June had ordered it to refund fees and also pay damages to Sansi.

According to the complaint, Sansi, a resident of Vasant Kunj, took admission in the university's BIT course in Acharya Narendra Dev College in 2000 but was later taken aback on learning that the course was not approved by the UGC at the time of his admission.