Govt helps students get Rs 1 crore refund from tuition centres

The National Consumer Helpline (NCH) has facilitated refund of Rs 1 crore of registration fees to students and candidates across India, mainly those preparing for competitive exams such as UPSC Civil Services and IIT entrance tests. The initiative was taken up by the Ministry of Consumer Affairs following numerous complaints from students regarding unfair practices by coaching centres.

Nidhi Khare, Secretary of State for Consumer Affairs, underlined the government’s commitment to ensuring that higher education institutions respect the rights of students. “This action reaffirms our commitment to fair practices in the education sector,” Khare said.

NCH, operating in mission mode, resolved a total of 16,276 student grievances in 2023-24, a significant increase over previous years. Common complaints included broken promises, poor quality of teaching and sudden cancellations of classes. Students were encouraged to report their issues through NCH’s toll-free number 1915 or consumerhelpline.gov.in portal.

Consumer protection regulator CCPA has also taken steps to penalize coaching centers for misleading advertising and unfair practices, pushing the industry toward greater transparency and accountability.

(With contributions from PTI)