Chandigarh-based institute told to pay Rs 6 lakh relief to Patiala resident

CHANDIGARH: The UT State Consumer Disputes Redressal Commission penalised OXL School of Media while disposing off an appeal against the institute.
The institute has been directed to pay Rs 6 lakh to a Patiala resident, for failing to conduct annual examination of a multimedia diploma course and gave a printout to students after they pressured the institute.The order came after a judgment, pronounced on February 18, 2018, was challenged in this regard.
Shivam Malhotra had alleged that lured by the advertisement given by the OXL School of Media regarding OXL triple advantage programme, offering BSc in multimedia and PGD in multimedia and other diploma and certificate courses, he approached the institute’s Chandigarh outlet in July 2013. He took admission in the three-year degree course in BSc multimedia in July 2013. The total course fee was Rs 2.70 lakh, which was to be paid in installments and the complainant paid Rs 2.90 lakh till November 2015.
However, the institute failed to conduct annual examination and when the students pressured, the Chandigarh branch of the institute handed over a printed certificate of diploma in multimedia in December 2015, whereas the complainant had taken admission in BSc Multimedia.
In December 2015, the Chandigarh branch was shut down and was shifted to another place and was running under the name and style of c/o Orane Institute of Beauty and Wellness in Sector 34 A, Chandigarh.
On approaching the institute, the complainant was assured of getting degree and that examination would also be held. But at the same time, the institute stopped conducting classes and closed the institute. In April 2016, the complainant met the staff and demanded refund of fee, but to no avail.
The institute, in their written statement, while admitting the factual matrix of the case, stated that various degree courses were being run with the help of the national coordinators of Mindtrek Edu Tech Pvt Ltd, who had signed pact with Karnataka State Open University (KSOU).
The forum observed that the OXL School of Multimedia were not statutory bodies and were mere business establishments, imparting educational services to students by charging hefty fee. Allowing the appeal for enhancement of compensation that since three precious academic years of a young aspiring student got ruined by the act and conduct of the school, on account of which, he also suffered immense mental agony and harassment.
Hence, the commission directed a refund of Rs 2.90 lakh to the complainant. The institute was further directed to pay Rs 3 lakh, instead of Rs 50,000 awarded by the consumer forum earlier to the complainant, as compensation for mental agony and harassment caused to him, besides Rs 10,000 as compensation.
Meanwhile, another appeal by a city-based resident, Mahesh Kumar, for enhancement of compensation in a similar case against the institute was dismissed and hence the OXL institute will continue to pay Rs 2 lakh to him as per order.