Coaching centre refused NEET fee refund; but Kerala student wins

Thiruvananthapuram: A Kerala consumer forum has ruled that coaching institutes cannot retain the entire fee paid by students who leave a course midway, declaring ‘no-refund’ clauses an unfair trade practice. The Thiruvananthapuram District Consumer Disputes Redressal Commission ordered a NEET coaching institute to refund Rs 70,600 to a student who paid Rs 82,600 but allegedly attended only 12 classes due to recurring back pain.

The commission also ordered the institute to pay Rs 8,000 in compensation, after deducting Rs 12,000 for the classes the student attended.

The order was issued on August 18, while the court was hearing a complaint filed by the student’s mother. Commission president P V Jayarajan and members Preetha G Nair and Viju V R said parents may not be able to afford another hefty coaching fee if an institute refuses to refund money for services that were not availed.

The panel warned that such practices could deprive students of valuable educational opportunities during crucial years of career building. It held that students may discontinue courses if they find the service deficient, unsuitable or unproductive, and institutions should not charge for services they neither provided nor delivered.

The commission also criticised the widespread practice of collecting fees in advance and refusing refunds, saying coaching centres should not function merely as money-collection machines.

It further said students should not be denied refunds for the unused portion of a course if they are dissatisfied with an institute’s teaching methods, teachers’ skills or conduct. The commission called for an end to the retention of advance fees for unused services, stressing that students’ interests must take priority over such practices.