National Consumer Helpline Facilitates Refunds Of ₹1 Crore To Students From Coaching Institutes
The NCH received 16,276 grievances from students in 2023-2024 fiscal year
HYDERABAD: The National Consumer Helpline (NCH) has facilitated a refund of ₹1 crore which was collected as enrolment fees from students and aspirants of various competitive examinations including UPSC Civil Services and IIT entrance, the Department of Consumer Affairs of Government of India has said.
The refunds were processed at a pre-litigation stage following the intervention by the Department of Consumer Affairs after students from across the country registered grievances against coaching institutes offering courses for various competitive examinations.
“This action reaffirms our commitment to ensure that coaching institutions adhere to fair practices and honour the rights of consumers,” reports quoted Consumer Affairs Secretary Nidhi Khare as saying.
The NCH initiated a drive to resolve these grievances after complaints poured in regarding unfair practices by coaching institutes, especially their refusal to refund enrolment fees, a release issue by the PIB said.
The NCH received 16,276 grievances from students in 2023-2024, when compared to 5,351 in 2022-2023 and 4,815 in 2021-2022 fiscal year. In 2024 alone, 6,980 students have approached the NCH seeking speedy redressal of their grievances at a pre-litigation stage. The complaints included unfulfilled promises, inadequate teaching quality, and abrupt cancellations of courses.
The Department of Consumer Affairs cited instances including that of a Bengaluru student who got a refund of ₹3.5 lakh and a Gujarat student who got ₹8.36 lakh after the intervention of the NCH.
The Consumer Protection regulator CCPA has taken action against misleading advertisements and unfair trade practices in the coaching sector, including penalising several coaching centres.
The coaching centres have been instructed to adopt a more student-centric approach and ensure transparency in course offerings and quality standards.
This initiative aligns with NITI Aayog’s recommendations for improving dispute resolution processes and strengthens the pre-litigation platform for prompt grievance redressal across sectors.
How to register grievances
Students can register their grievances by calling the toll-free number 1915 or through the portal www.consumerhelpline.gov.in.