Civil services and other aspirants get Rs 1.56 crore refund from coaching institutes

The Department of Consumer Affairs on Saturday informed that more than 600 students have received refunds of Rs 1.56 crore from coaching institutes following its intervention.

The department has ‘successfully secured refunds amounting to Rs 1.56 crore for over 600 aspirants and students in the education sector’, the department said in an official statement on Saturday.

 
These students, enrolled in coaching centres for civil services, engineering courses and other programmes, were previously denied rightful refunds despite following the terms and conditions set forth by the coaching institutes, it added.

The relief was made possible through grievances filed by the students via the National Consumer Helpline (NCH), which facilitated a streamlined process for dispute resolution.

"The swift action by the Department has helped students receive compensation for unfulfilled services, late classes, or cancelled courses, ensuring they do not bear the financial burden of unfair business practices," the statement read.

In its decisive direction, the department has instructed all coaching centres to adopt a student-centric approach, mandating clear, transparent refund policies to protect student's financial interests.

It has been made clear that the unjust practice of denying legitimate refund claims will no longer be tolerated, urging educational institutions to uphold consumer rights.

The Department is also committed to strengthening the complaint redressal mechanism and educate students on their consumer rights.

(With PTI Inputs)