The Andhra Pradesh State Consumer Disputes Redressal Commission (APSCDRC) has dismissed a petition by an engineering student, who claimed from her college Rs.9 lakh as compensation for ‘mental agony’ and another Rs.10 lakh for the loss of an academic year, apart from the refund of college fees. The college had allegedly misled her during admissions into believing that the institution was only for women.
Complainant P. Alekhya said that after she joined Bharath Institute of Technology & Science for Women at Ibrahimpatnam, she realised that there was a co-education college adjacent to hers, and that the transport arranged was for men too.
Trouble began when Alekhya became friends with a fellow male student, whom she would frequently meet. On coming to know about their friendship, Alekhya’s father confronted the boy, after which the college management took assurance letters from both sides to tackle the ‘issue’. Later, the girl was unwilling to continue her education there and hence, lost a year.
Alekhya then filed at complaint at a district forum in 2013, blaming the college for the loss of a year. The forum ruled that the loss of an academic year was not the management’s fault, as there was no unfair trade practice, or deficiency of service from the institution’s side. It, however, directed the institution to return her educational certificates without collecting any fees.
Not satisfied, Alekhya approached the APSCDRC, which, after looking into all facts ruled that the college did not lie to her.
“Simply because there is a college meant for co-education run by the very same management, it cannot be construed that the college to which the complainant was admitted is not a college for women,” the bench stated, and saw no need to interfere with the district forum’s judgment.
