Shashwati Chowdhury
Published on: July 12, 2022 at 19:27 IST
Think & Learn Pvt. Ltd, which makes Byjus’s learning app, was ordered by a district consumer forum in an ex-parte order dated May 10 to refund fees to a student who alleged that the company did not give him a proper learning app and instead offered a tab that was cheaper than the one that had been initially promised.
Thus, it ordered the company to refund Madhusudhana B., the complainant, for the sum of Rs. 99,000.
The complainant filed a complaint with the Additional District Consumer Disputes Redressal Forum, claiming that a company representative approached him to buy the BYJUS leaming app. He claimed that the conversion of the payment into an EMI was assured. Additionally, it was guaranteed that he would receive two Samsung tabs worth Rs.25,000 each.
However, it was alleged that the company gave away Lenovo MB and M10 models, each of which cost Rs 10,000. As a result, the complaint sought to cancel the course and asked for a direct credit card refund of the entire amount spent. He alleged that he was dissatisfied with the learning provided by the BYJUS learning app.
In its order, a Bench presided over by President H.R. Srinivas stated, “Complainant’s purchased the Byjus’s learning app through the representative of opposite party (OP) who ensured that in the event of fault the entire amount shall be returned without any deduction in case the student is not fully satisfied with the working or learning app.”
“For the best known reasons to the OP,” it stated, “OP did not refund the money, forcing the complainants to bring this complaint and further putting the complainants through mental agony, harassment, and hardship.”
As a result, it directed the company to refund all fees paid together with interest calculated at a rate of 12 percent per year from the date of receipt until the whole amount was paid.
Additionally, the Commission granted a total of Rs 25,000 in damages and Rs 5,000 in court costs. The complaint must return the received tabs after they have received the ordered amount.