Students are consumers: Forum

A judgement by a district consumer forum in Andhra Pradesh against the National Institute of Fashion Technology quoting University Grants Commission guidelines and rulings of the Supreme Court, has once again stated that students of educational institutions are defined as “consumers” under the Consumer Protection Act.

The judgement comes in the backdrop of students and parents complaining that educational institutions do not refund fees when they leave colleges after taking admission or midway; colleges and universities failing to return certificates; lack of amenities; and on quality of education.

The West Godavari District Consumer Forum at Eluru on July 13 ordered NIFT to refund fees it had withheld from a student who had left the college after admission.

The forum ruled that as per UGC guidelines, the college can deduct `1,000 if a student left midway but the rest of the fee has to be refunded.

Baljaireddy Sai Krishna, 17, of Eluru filed a complaint in the forum against NIFT director and registrar at Delhi, NIFT director at Madhapur in Hyderabad, and NIFT director at Shillong, Meghalaya. Upon selection, he was to pay a fee of `81,000.

He had to report to the NIFT director at Shillong but due to health issues he could not join and informed the NIFT authorities.

“I had not attended a single class. When asked to refund the fees, they said I was entitled only for `5,000 refund. After they credited the amount I approached the forum for refund of `76,000,” the complainant stated.

The NIFT director of Hyderabad contended that the complainant was not a consumer in terms of the definition provided under the Act. NIFT claimed that `5000 had been refunded.