Pharmacy college told to returns fees

BANGALORE: The fourth additional district consumer grievances redressal forum directed Gautham College of Pharmacy to return the admission fees of Pankaj Kumar Tiwari, a student, along with a compensation of `10,000 and `2,000 costs for misrepresenting at the time of his admission.

The college staff, during admissions informed Pankaj that the college is affiliated to Rajiv Gandhi University of Health Sciences(RGUHS) and is PCI and AICTE recognised.

Pankaj had paid `30,000 admission fees and joined M.Pharma course on August 28, 2008.

However the college did not conduct classes even after three months which made Pankaj suspicious. He applied for information about the affiliations of the college through RTI. RTI reply revealed the college did not have any of the mentioned affiliations. Pankaj requested the college to refund the fees but the college officials refused to refund.

Pankaj filed a complaint in the consumer forum. The respondents contended that they had mentioned in the admission letter that the petitioner’s admission to their college would be subject to the approval from the university.

They have already refunded the money through a cheque that was encashed by the petitioner from the SBI, Kumarswamy Layout Branch.

However, Pankaj contended that such cheques can be withdrawn through fictitious accounts and the college has not returned the fee.