A consumer court on Friday directed the National University of Computer and Engineering Sciences to refund Rs35,375 and pay Rs10,000 damages to a petitioner on a suit seeking Rs1,005,000 damages for not refunding the fee to the petitioner’s daughter.
Petitioner Qaisar Ali submitted that the university had offered admissions in BS accounting and finance and his daughter had applied for it for the 2012 session. After she qualified the test, they deposited Rs50,000 fee. On August 25, 2012, the students were summoned for orientation. On the day, he learnt about the inadmissibility of the university’s degree. He applied for a refund of the fee on August 27 in the morning. The classes were to start on August 27 evening. However, the university refunded him only Rs14,625 on the ground that the classes had already started. He said the university was not registered with the National Business Education Accreditation Council of the Higher Education Commission (HEC).
He prayed to the court to direct the respondent to refund his balance dues, Rs35,375 and pay Rs1 million damages and Rs5,000 counsel fee.
The university submitted that it was federally-chartered statutory body and that the HEC recognised all its degrees. It said that at a request from the complainant, not only was he allowed to pay the fee after the stipulated date but also part payment was allowed. The complainant did not mention any reason in his refund application which clearly showed that the refund was requested merely for financial reason. It accused him of misleading the court by concealing pertinent facts.
Published in The Express Tribune, April 27th, 2013.