Dad denied fee refund after daughter quit Indian school in 4 days, wins Rs 63,000

A Hyderabad District Consumer Commission recently awarded a father Rs 63,000 after his daughter abruptly quit a school in Class XI after just four days. The girl had studied in the United States from Class VII to Class X and reportedly found it difficult to adapt to the different teaching methods in India. The commission ruled that charging a student for services not availed was an unfair trade practice.

The court criticized the school for double benefits by admitting new students while keeping fees of those who withdrew mid-term. The commission found that the fee of Rs 48,000 and security deposit of Rs 10,000 had already been paid by the 50-year-old father. The court emphasized that a student has the right to leave mid-stream if they find the service deficient, and it was unfair for the school to claim non-refundability of fees. The court ordered the school to refund Rs 58,000 along with Rs 5,000 in litigation costs.