Holding FIITJEE deficient in services, a district consumer disputes redressal forum here has directed the institute to pay the complainant a sum of ₹70,000 as compensation.
The directions came following a complaint that alleged that students were made to pay fees for a two-year course irrespective of whether the student continued the course at the institute.
Directing the institute to refund a part of the fee submitted, the consumer panel said, “We hold that the opposite party [FIITJEE] has committed unfair trade practice by collecting fees for two years in one go. Accordingly, we partly allow the complaint and direct (FIITJEE) to refund the 10 months fees taken by them from the complainant….as the complainant left the institute after attending classes for more than a year.”
The consumer panel also referred to a previous judgment passed by the National Consumer Disputes Redressal Commission (NCDRC) which had said, “…an educational institution can only charge prescribed fee for one semester or year. If an institution feels that any particular student may leave in midstream [midway] then, at the highest, it may require that student to give a bond or bank guarantee…”
‘Poor facilities’
Complainant Gautam Saha had alleged he had enrolled his son at the institute after paying over ₹1.87 lakh for a two-year course.
However, due to poor facilities and “humiliation faced” by the complainant’s son in the class, he had to discontinue the course, it was alleged.