Consumer court orders Physics Wallah to refund fee, pay Rs 50,000 compensation to Sopore student
Srinagar, March 16, KNT: The District Consumer Disputes Redressal Commission Baramulla-Bandipora has directed coaching institute Physics Wallah Private Limited and its authorised coordinator to refund the course fee and pay compensation to a Sopore resident after holding the company liable for deficiency in service and unfair trade practice in connection with a NEET coaching programme.
The order was passed by a bench comprising President Peerzada Qousar Hussain and Member Nyla Yaseen while deciding a complaint filed by Irshad Rashid Dand, a resident of Al-Kausar Krankshivaan Colony in Sopore in north Kashmir’s Baramulla district.
According to the complaint, the petitioner had enrolled his son Mohammad Abdullah in a NEET preparation programme titled “Pathshala 11th Batch Code ANTIMA,” which targeted the NEET 2027 examination.
The course was offered through the institute’s Pathshala centre in Sopore.
The complainant told the commission that he initially deposited Rs 5,000 on April 14, 2025 and later paid another Rs 30,000 on April 25, 2025, taking the total course fee to Rs 35,000.
However, despite payment of the full fee and repeated approaches to the institute, the student was allegedly not provided access to the course, the complaint said.
The complainant said he approached the local coordinator of the institute seeking resolution of the issue and requested a refund of the deposited amount, but the matter was not addressed.
Physics Wallah, one of India’s fastest-growing ed-tech companies, has in recent years faced a number of controversies and complaints related to its coaching services. Several students and parents across different states have alleged issues such as denial of course access after fee payment, refund disputes, misleading promotional claims and poor grievance redressal mechanisms. In some cases, consumer forums and courts have ruled in favour of complainants and directed the company to refund fees or pay compensation for deficiency in service. While the company continues to expand its offline “Pathshala” centres and online coaching programmes for competitive exams such as NEET and JEE, such cases have periodically raised questions about service delivery standards and regulatory oversight in India’s rapidly growing ed-tech sector.
The commission observed that the opposite parties failed to appear before it or submit a response despite being served notice.
Following their absence, the forum initiated ex-parte proceedings against them.
The complainant presented evidence through affidavits of witnesses along with documents showing payment of the course fee and enrolment of the student.
After examining the material on record, the commission noted that the complainant had deposited Rs 35,000 for the NEET coaching course but the institute failed to provide the promised access to the programme.
The forum observed that the failure to deliver the service after receiving the fee caused academic loss to the student and mental distress to the family.
The commission held that once the institute accepted the prescribed fee, it was under an obligation to provide access to the course.
Refusal to do so amounted to deficiency in service, the order said.
The commission further observed that retaining the fee without delivering the promised service was impermissible and constituted an unfair trade practice.
Allowing the complaint, the commission directed the institute to refund the entire fee of Rs 35,000 paid by the complainant.
It also ordered the opposite parties to pay Rs 50,000 as compensation for the academic loss suffered by the student.
In addition, the commission directed the institute to pay Rs 10,000 towards litigation costs.
The commission said the entire amount must be paid within four weeks from the date of the order, failing which it will carry interest at the rate of 10 percent per annum from the date of the order until its realization. [KNT]
