The National Consumer Disputes Redressal Commission (NCDRC) imposed a cost of ₹500 on a research scholar for filing a complaint, that it termed as “misconceived and devoid of merits,” against the Birla Institute of Management and Technology.
The complainant, who sought compensation of ₹70 lakh from the institute, was directed to deposit the amount with the Consumer Legal Aid Account of the State Commission.
Dismissing the complaint “with stern advice of caution” to the complainant, the NCDRC said, “The consumer protection forum is meant for better protection of the interests of consumers and not to create ‘nuisance value’ in educational institutions or universities or to unduly harass and pressurise an educational institution to anyhow enable him to a PhD.” The complainant had alleged that the institute had not “enabled him” to complete PhD that he was pursuing.
It was alleged that the university had refused to give him an extension and that the professor, who was his guide on the research had left the institute and joined a different university.
The apex consumer disputes redressal forum said, “A PhD has to be earned with academic effort and diligence and not through the route of consumer protection. The first appeal is patently misconceived and devoid of merit.”
The State commission had earlier dismissed the contentions terming the complaint as “frivolous.” The NCDRC said, “This is a case of a research scholar who could not finish his research within the upper time limit of six years, as stipulated by the academic council…”
