Admission cancelled, Rs 21,000 fee refund denied; student didn't even attend any classes; court orders school to pay Rs 36,000
A father in Secunderabad paid Rs 21,000 to admit his daughter at a Hyderabad school in February 2019, only to cancel the admission within a week after his plan to shift residence fell through. The school refused to refund the money, calling it non...
By ET Online | Updated:
Daughter's admission cancelled after paying Rs 21,000 admission fee; school refuses refund despite no classes were attended, court orders school to pay father Rs 36,000
A father from Secunderabad ended up fighting a school for seven years just to get back money for classes his daughter never attended. He had paid Rs 21,000 towards her admission at Akshara International School in LB Nagar, Hyderabad, after being offered a fee discount if he paid before a set date in February 2019.
Within a week, his plans changed. He decided not to shift his family's residence to Hyderabad after all, and asked the school to cancel the admission and return the fee. The school refused, saying the amount was non refundable once paid, and the case dragged all the way to a consumer commission, which has now ruled firmly in the father's favour.
According to the complaint, N. Ramchander Rao approached the school on February 9, 2019, planning to admit his daughter for the academic year. An official identified as the admin chief offered him a discount if the fee was paid before February 10. He paid Rs 21,000 through his debit card and signed the admission forms.
Just days later, on February 14, his plans to move to Hyderabad fell through, and he asked the school to cancel the admission. The school told him the fee was non refundable and asked him to write a formal email instead.
He did exactly that on February 17, laying out that no classes had been held and no services had been given, so there was no reason to withhold the money. The school still refused, and in March, it even sent login details for online classes his daughter was never going to attend.
The complaint eventually landed before the District Consumer Disputes Redressal Commission, first in Ranga Reddy in 2019, and later transferred to the Hyderabad commission after a state commission order.
The commission was blunt about the practice. It noted that a request for refund made within days, well before the academic year had even started, gave the school ample time to fill the seat with another student. Holding on to the fee in such a situation, it said, amounted to an unfair trade practice.
The commission went further, observing that many schools collect advance fees and refuse refunds while quietly admitting another child to the same seat, effectively getting paid twice for one seat. It said such institutions were behaving like commercial shops rather than educational bodies, and called for the practice to end.
The commission directed the school to refund the full Rs 21,000 fee with 9 percent interest from the date of payment. On top of that, it ordered Rs 10,000 as compensation for the mental agony and hardship caused to the father, along with Rs 5,000 towards his litigation costs. Together, the order adds up to a total payout of Rs 36,000, apart from the interest that will keep accruing until the amount is actually paid. The school has been given 45 days to comply.
The complaint was originally filed in April 2019, barely two months after the fee was paid. It took more than seven years, and a transfer between commissions, before the order was finally passed on September 15, 2026. Through it all, the school's written stand never changed. Fees once paid, it insisted, could not be refunded, transferred or adjusted. The commission's final order made clear that no rule of that kind can override a parent's right to a refund when no service was ever provided.
Within a week, his plans changed. He decided not to shift his family's residence to Hyderabad after all, and asked the school to cancel the admission and return the fee. The school refused, saying the amount was non refundable once paid, and the case dragged all the way to a consumer commission, which has now ruled firmly in the father's favour.
OTT releases this weekend, September 25 to 27, bring a mix of new movies, reality shows and returning favourites across Netflix, Prime Video, JioHotstar, ZEE5 and SonyLIV. Yash’s Toxic is reportedly expected to premiere on ZEE5, while Rise & Fall Season 2, The Great Indian Kapil Show Season 5, Hunkkaar, Unabomber and Agadha are among the other titles arriving this weekend.
According to the complaint, N. Ramchander Rao approached the school on February 9, 2019, planning to admit his daughter for the academic year. An official identified as the admin chief offered him a discount if the fee was paid before February 10. He paid Rs 21,000 through his debit card and signed the admission forms.
Just days later, on February 14, his plans to move to Hyderabad fell through, and he asked the school to cancel the admission. The school told him the fee was non refundable and asked him to write a formal email instead.
He did exactly that on February 17, laying out that no classes had been held and no services had been given, so there was no reason to withhold the money. The school still refused, and in March, it even sent login details for online classes his daughter was never going to attend.
ADVERTISEMENT
What did the consumer commission say about the school's fee policy?The complaint eventually landed before the District Consumer Disputes Redressal Commission, first in Ranga Reddy in 2019, and later transferred to the Hyderabad commission after a state commission order.
The commission was blunt about the practice. It noted that a request for refund made within days, well before the academic year had even started, gave the school ample time to fill the seat with another student. Holding on to the fee in such a situation, it said, amounted to an unfair trade practice.
The commission went further, observing that many schools collect advance fees and refuse refunds while quietly admitting another child to the same seat, effectively getting paid twice for one seat. It said such institutions were behaving like commercial shops rather than educational bodies, and called for the practice to end.
ADVERTISEMENT
How much has the school been ordered to pay?The commission directed the school to refund the full Rs 21,000 fee with 9 percent interest from the date of payment. On top of that, it ordered Rs 10,000 as compensation for the mental agony and hardship caused to the father, along with Rs 5,000 towards his litigation costs. Together, the order adds up to a total payout of Rs 36,000, apart from the interest that will keep accruing until the amount is actually paid. The school has been given 45 days to comply.
The complaint was originally filed in April 2019, barely two months after the fee was paid. It took more than seven years, and a transfer between commissions, before the order was finally passed on September 15, 2026. Through it all, the school's written stand never changed. Fees once paid, it insisted, could not be refunded, transferred or adjusted. The commission's final order made clear that no rule of that kind can override a parent's right to a refund when no service was ever provided.
Download
The Economic Times Business News App for the Latest News in Business, Sensex, Stock Market Updates & More.
The Economic Times Business News App for the Latest News in Business, Sensex, Stock Market Updates & More.
Download
The Economic Times News App for Quarterly Results, Latest News in ITR, Business, Share Market, Live Sensex News & More.
The Economic Times News App for Quarterly Results, Latest News in ITR, Business, Share Market, Live Sensex News & More.
ADVERTISEMENT
