Ghaziabad: The district consumer commission has ordered coaching institute FIITJEE’s Delhi-based headquarters to refund Rs 85,000 to the father of a student after finding that the institute failed to provide classes for the promised 36 months under the purchased package and instead conducted them for only 21 months.Commission President Anil Kumar Pundir and members Shailja Sachan and RP Singh, on April 17, decided the matter ex parte and ordered that Rs 84,980 be paid, along with 6% interest per annum from the date of filing of the complaint on March 3, 2025, within 45 days of the order. The forum also ordered payment of Rs 10,000 for mental trauma and academic loss suffered.The case dates back to an FIR filed on March 3, 2025, by Gulmohar Enclave resident Arvind Kumar Dohre.
He claimed that on Feb 2, 2023, he signed a 36-month contract with FIITJEE’s Ghaziabad centre for his son Tanmay to prepare for the IIT joint entrance exam under the classroom coaching programme. He made an initial payment of Rs 34,200 and gave post-dated cheques, or PDCs, worth Rs 395,150. However, in Jan 2025, FIITJEE suddenly stopped classes as the coaching centre shut down, even though they were supposed to continue until March 2026, thereby violating the contract.
Dohre alleged that despite the suspension of services, FIITJEE received 14 cheque payments, totalling Rs 391,590, without providing coaching services. “The total contract value for 36 months was Rs 429,350, but the service provided can be valued at Rs 250,454, meaning that I paid Rs 141,136 extra for services that were never provided,” he said.Notices were sent to the institute, but no one appeared on its behalf nor filed a counterclaim.
The proceedings were then initiated ex parte on May 29, 2025.The commission noted that the opposite party provided services for only 21 months. Even after the services were discontinued, the funds continued to be collected through PDC cheques.“It is clear that the complainant enrolled for the three-year classroom programme, the fee for which was Rs 371,650. He also subscribed to the My PAT online test series, the fee for which was Rs 23,799.
Apart from this, he also gave PDC cheques for Rs 33,900 for study material, and a total contract of Rs 429,350 was made, out of which the initial payment of Rs 34,200 was made to the opponent through NEFT, and post-dated cheques were issued for the remaining amount,” the commission observed.It further noted that the bank statement proves that the respondent received payment through three post-dated cheques after the classes were suspended. “If the respondent had to suspend the classes for any reason, it was their moral obligation not to accept payment of the advance post-dated cheques. The respondent’s above actions demonstrate a lack of service to the complainant,” the commission ruled.
