School to pay over Rs 33,000 for charging money to provide TC

A prominent public school in the city has been directed by a consumer forum here to pay Rs 33,650 as compensation to a student for charging money to provide a transfer certificate (TC) even though he had not sought admission nor attended any class after completing class X from there.
The demand made by Delhi Public School, Mathura Road here, for deposit of Rs 18,650 to provide the certificate was held "unjustified" by the New Delhi District Consumer Disputes Redressal Forum.
The forum noted that the school has failed to explain why it demanded deposit of the amount when the student had decided not to continue studying there after class X by not taking admission in class XI nor attending a single class.

"Opposite party (DPS, Mathura Road) has failed to explain the deposits demanded, when student did not attend any class in class XI, nor took admission in class XI. We hold it as an unjustified deposit for issuing a school leaving certificate only.
"Holding opposite party guilty of deficiency we direct it to return Rs 18,650 and award compensation of Rs 15,000...," a bench presided by C K Chaturvedi said.
The forum's order came on the complaint filed by the student's father, Sarfaraz Hussain, who had said that as his son did not get science stream in the school, they had decided to admit him elsewhere and had sought a transfer certificate.

The school had informed the student that a transfer certificate would be provided on deposit of Rs 18,650 which was duly paid, Hussain claimed.
However, despite receiving the amount and several visits by the student's parents, the school had not provided the certificate nor did it refund the money, Hussain had alleged in his complaint.
The order was passed ex-parte as no one had appeared on behalf of the school despite issuance of a notice from the forum.