Consumer forum orders coaching center to refund fee after class 9 girl fails exams

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New Delhi: The District Consumer Redressal Forum at Bengaluru ordered a coaching center to refund the fee collected from a man after his daughter failed in the class 9 exams. The forum held the coaching institute liable for 'deficiency of service' under the Consumer Protection Act. 

Trilok Chand Gupta, the man who made a payment of Rs 69,408 to the center, complained that he relied on the assurances and promises made by the institute and got his daughter admitted at the institute, but their service was not at all good as promised. 

"No additional classes and even regular classes were conducted properly which resulted in scoring bad marks and failing in all the subjects by her daughter in the unit test held at the school," read the complaint, according to Live Law. 

Even after bringing the issue to notice during the parent-teacher meeting, no fruitful action was taken, said the complainant. He then decided to seek refund of the entire amount. 

The institute argued that the girl withdrew from the course due to her personal problems as she was unable to cope up. It also said that education is not a commodity and coaching institutions do not fall within the ambit of the Consumer Protection Act. 

The commission, however, was of the opinion that the complaint was maintainable before the forum. The bench led by President S. L. Patil ordered the Managing Director of the institute and the Branch Head to refund Rs 26,250 with a litigation cost of Rs 5000 to the complainant within six weeks.