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SI joined a digital marketing academy and paid ₹1.56 lakh upfront for a 1-year course. Due to some serious personal issues, I could only attend 4 classes within the first month. I informed them about my situation within 3 weeks and requested a refund.They pressurised me to continue the course even when i wouldnt have been available in delhi for more than 3-4 days a week and either told me to pursue online which isnt feasible.
At first the employee who helped me with my admission said to me that he will give me a refund and just to be patient he said when a new student joins he will transfer his fees to mine and transfer my course to his but after promising me and leading me on for 4 months he eventually left the company and when i tried to contact the company just said that arefund wont be possible.
They refused, citing a company policy that allows refunds only within 2 days of enrollment. It’s now been 6 months and they still say I can either continue the course or switch to online—no refund possible.
Is this 2-day refund policy even legal? I didn’t use most of the service, and it feels extremely unfair.
Can I file a complaint under the Consumer Protection Act, 2019? Is there any precedent or advice on how to proceed?
Help me what should i do. -
BLet’s be clear here – you got scammed. But don’t panic, there are options. Here’s what you need to know.
### 1. **The Refund Policy Issue**
A 2-day refund policy might be legal if they clearly disclosed it at the time of enrollment. However, if they didn’t explain the policy properly or misled you about it (like that employee promising a refund and not honoring it), that’s another ball game. The Consumer Protection Act, 2019, clearly gives you the right to request a refund if the service was not provided as promised, even after the 2-day period. The key here is whether the service was actually delivered or not. If you barely attended, they didn’t provide what you paid for. They might try to enforce the 2-day policy, but it could be challenged, especially if the terms weren’t clearly mentioned upfront or were misleading.### 2. **What You Can Do**
– **File a Complaint Under the Consumer Protection Act, 2019:** The law protects consumers against unfair trade practices. You can file a complaint with the **Consumer Court** or the **National Consumer Helpline**. They will consider the facts: you paid for a service you couldn’t use, and the company didn’t deliver.
– **Approach the Ministry of Consumer Affairs:** You can lodge a grievance through their online portal. If the academy is registered under a recognized body, they could face consequences for this unfair practice.
– **Reach Out to the District Consumer Forum:** If the company isn’t playing ball, the District Consumer Forum will deal with your case. The forum will check if their refund policy is reasonable, especially given your limited usage of the course.### 3. **What the Courts or Consumer Forum Might Do**
– **Refund or Compensation:** The consumer forum could order the company to refund your money, depending on how clear their refund policy was and how reasonable it is. If the policy wasn’t clearly disclosed or misled you, that might work in your favor.
– **Unfair Trade Practices:** If the company didn’t honor the promises made by their employees, that counts as unfair trade practice. They might be penalized for it.### 4. **Steps to Take Right Now**
– **Gather Evidence:** Document everything – your communication with the institute, any promises made, emails, messages, etc. Even if the employee who promised you the refund is gone, you have the right to hold the company accountable.
– **Contact the Institute One Last Time:** If you haven’t already, send a formal complaint or email to the management. Keep it professional, but firm. Mention the unfair treatment and the Consumer Protection Act. You never know, they might reconsider.
– **File a Complaint:** If that doesn’t work, go ahead and file a complaint with the National Consumer Helpline or your District Forum.### 5. **Precedent and Advice**
– **Consumer Court Cases:** There have been several cases where customers successfully fought for refunds when the service provided didn’t match what was promised, or when the company failed to deliver in a reasonable manner. Courts often side with consumers in these situations, especially when the company wasn’t clear about its terms.
– **Be Prepared for Delays:** Don’t expect this to be quick – legal cases can take time, but don’t back down. Stick to the facts, and you’ll be fine.So, to answer your question: **yes, you can file a complaint under the Consumer Protection Act**. The company’s refund policy might not hold up if you haven’t used their services, and they’ve misled you. Fight it, and get the money back you rightfully deserve.
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