Madurai
The Madurai District Consumer Disputes Redressal Forum has directed Vellammal College of Engineering and Technology here to return the fee collected from a student who had discontinued his studies due to jaundice.
The forum, comprising president V. Balasundarakumar and member C. Packialakshmi, directed the college to return ₹82,240, the fee collected from the student (after calculating proportionate deduction), and also pay an additional amount of ₹13,000 for the mental agony suffered by him.
The complainant V. Bala Vignesh, joined the college in 2010 by paying ₹ two lakh as fees, which included capitation and tuition fees. But he had to discontinue his studies as a result of severe typhoid fever and jaundice. The complainant produced a medical certificate to the college through his father. The college, considering the health issues, told his father that he would be admitted for the following academic year without any fees.
When the complainant approached the college for re-admission to the first year the following year, it asked him to pay ₹ three lakh as capitation fees. With no other alternative, the complainant filed a petition before the consumer forum seeking remedy and an appropriate compensation.