An institute offering coaching for competitive exams, FIITJEE Limited, has been directed by consumer forum to pay ₹70,000 for failing to process the refund of a Panchkula student’s fee for two years even though he attended classes only for eight days.
The directions to the institute’s Sector-35 outlet were given by the district consumer forum based on the complaint filed by Vikram Seth expressing dissatisfaction over the teaching methods at the coaching centre.
Seth had enrolled in FIITJEE’s two-year classroom programme after paying an amount of ₹51,037. He, however, attended classes only for eight days (32 hours) as “the manner and methodology of teaching in classes were completely different from the way these were explained by the executive and staff of the institute” earlier.
It was on May 15, 2017 that Seth eventually asked for the refund. A legal notice was also sent to the institute on June 28 last year. Seth had later filed a complaint with the consumer forum alleging deficiency of service and indulgence in unfair trade practice.
Meanwhile, the institute’s management claimed that as per their terms and policy, money once paid was not supposed to be refunded “under any circumstances” and the student and his parents were duly informed about the same before enrolment.
{{/usCountry}}Meanwhile, the institute’s management claimed that as per their terms and policy, money once paid was not supposed to be refunded “under any circumstances” and the student and his parents were duly informed about the same before enrolment.
{{/usCountry}}It was added that they had signed an undertaking in this regard and hence there was no deficiency on their part.
The complaint of the student was found to be genuine by the consumer forum as it was stated that the institute could not charge the fee for two years in advance and only prescribed fee for one year should have been charged from him. It was also admitted by the representatives of the institute that fee for two different semesters/sessions was charged in lumpsum at the onset of the session.
The consumer forum directed FITJEE to refund ₹49,918, pay ₹10,000 as compensation and another sum of ₹10,000 as the cost of litigation to Vikram Seth for unfair trade practice and causing harassment.