Deficiency in Service: Consumer Court orders Aakash Institute to refund fee to NEET aspirant

Hyderabad: The District Consumer Disputes Redressal Commission (DCDRC), Hyderabad, recently directed Aakash Institute in Himayathnagar to pay Rs 68,353 as refund to a NEET aspirant for repeatedly demanding the course fee from the student and abruptly ceasing her access to the classes even though the payment was already made.

As per the complainant, she wanted to join the Olympiad Integrated Course in the Aakash Institute at Himayatnagar. Her father paid Rs 43,358 as the course fee through UPI. On 29.06.2022 he requested to change the track of the student from CBSE to ICSE the required details were shared through WhatsApp (no change of fee).

Initially, the officials at the institute had assured that the track would be changed to ICSE within 3-4 days. Accordingly, the student stopped attending the CBSE track classes as she was expecting to join ICSE track batch. However, there was no update.

Despite lodging multiple complaints, no solution was offered either by the Customer Care team or the administration. Finally, the student got the study material after four months on 27.10.2022.

However, shockingly, the access was cut off by the institute alleging that the tuition fee was due. After the matter was pursued by the student's father, an official from the institute intervened and restored the access on 03.12.2022.

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Once again the access was discontinued while the student's father received multiple messages showing different amounts of dues. Even though the student's father reached out to the Institute administration multiple times, it stopped responding to him.

It was alleged that the student's father ran from pillar to post to resolve the issue and had even attempted to talk to customer care/support and management but to no avail.

Claiming that the complainant and her father had been put through severe mental, and physical agony, distress and trauma due to the deficiency of the institute and also claiming that the disruption in the course hampered the complainant's education and disturbed her career goals, the complainant demanded a refund of the entire course fee i.e. Rs 43,338 with interest and another Rs 5 lakh for mental agony.

On the other hand, the institute denied all complaints and submitted that the complainant got admitted based on the Terms and Conditions of the Admission Form and Refund Policy. They further claimed that the customer care officers are very quick and prudent in replying and solving the problems raised. Therefore, the complainant is not entitled to the relief claimed.

Opining that there was deficiency in service, the consumer court held that the institute was liable to refund the fee of Rs.43,358 along with interest @ 12% p.a., from 03.12.2022 and also pay compensation of Rs.10,000. Further, the Commission ordered the Institute to pay Rs 10,000 to consumer legal laid account towards punitive damages and also pay costs of Rs 5,000.

Commenting on the matter, the student's father told The New Indian Express, "Even though it is a reputed institute, the employees showed inefficiency. More than the money, I was concerned about my daughter losing a year of preparation due to this delay. We lost an advantage of a year due to this."

To view the order, click on the link below:

https://medicaldialogues.in/pdf_upload/neet-aspirant-vs-aakash-institute-235085.pdf

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