1 Lak Compensation For Coimbatore Student
A Bangalore-based institute of hardware technology has been told to pay Rs one lakh as compensation to a student for closing down its Coimbatore branch just three months after launching a one-year course which the student joined. The Coimbatore District Consumer Disputes Redressal Forum, which delivered the order on a complaint from P Leela Krishnan of Peelamedu, also directed the institute to repay the Rs 45,000 course fee to the student.According to the complaint by Leela Krishnant, he joined the one-year, part-time certificate course on ‘G Net Pro’ at the Indian Institute of Hardware Technology’s branch in Coimbatore in May 2006. To his shock, the course ran only till August 2006 and the branch was closed down. The institute did not, the complaint added, take steps to reopen the branch or make any alternative arrangements to enable the students to continue their studies, despite their making repeated demands and also lodging a police complaint.
Stating that the institute had been conducting various computer courses through several branches across the country, the petitioner said he underwent great mental agony after realising he could not continue the course due to the sudden closure of the branch. Contending that the institute’s irresponsible attitude amounted to deficiency in service, he wanted the forum to order the institute to pay a compensation and refund his fee. No representative of the institute turned up before the forum to file its version.
After perusal of the case, forum president S A Sreeramulu and member K A Rathinam held that the complainant had proved his case through adequate documents. “The complainant and other students were not able to complete their course and thereby lost the earning and future prospects due to the deficiency in service on the part of the institute. Hence, the institute is liable to pay a compensation of Rs one lakh to the complainant and repay the fee paid by him,’’ they ordered.
