Hooghly District Commission Orders BYJU’S to Refund ₹65,000 with Compensation Over Unfair Trade Practices

Hooghly District Commission Orders BYJU’S to Refund ₹65,000 with Compensation Over Unfair Trade Practices

The Hooghly District Consumer Disputes Redressal Commission (CDRC), with Debasish Bandyopadhyay as the presiding authority and Debasis Bhattacharya as a member, issued a verdict in favour of a consumer complaint filed against BYJU’S, the renowned educational app provider. The complaint alleged that BYJU’S had indulged in deceptive and unjust trade practices.

The complaint asserted that BYJU’S failed to uphold its commitment to provide a complete refund if the customer expressed dissatisfaction with the learning app within 15 days. Additionally, BYJU’S had imposed an excessive ₹9,498 fee for cancelling the registration, contrary to its initial promise. Consequently, the Commission mandated BYJU’S to refund the entire payment made for the learning app, including the cancellation fee. Furthermore, BYJU’S was instructed to compensate the complainant with ₹5,000 for causing distress and mental anguish.

Complainant Subhrajit Das agreed to purchase the BYJU'S learning app for his daughter upon being contacted by an authorised agent of the company. He made a cash payment of ₹5,000 and arranged to secure a ₹60,000 loan from a private finance company to cover the remaining cost. The company provided him with assurance of a complete refund within 15 days if he was dissatisfied.

BYJU’S subsequently dispatched a tablet and a bag alongside the app to Das's residence. His daughter, however, was not satisfied with the app, prompting him to request the cancellation of their registration within the stipulated 15 days. To process the cancellation, a BYJU'S representative requested a payment of ₹9,498, which Das complied with, believing it would be the final deduction from his bank account. However, the company continued to deduct funds for the app from his bank account. Despite multiple attempts to resolve the issue by contacting BYJU’S, Das found no resolution. Feeling deceived and unfairly treated, he lodged a consumer complaint.

BYJU’S did not dispute the claims made by Subhrajit Das concerning the purchase and the 15-day trial period. The company also expressed a willingness to refund the money once Das furnished his bank details. Additionally, they did not raise any objections to the complainant retaining the tablet and course materials.

The Hooghly District Consumer Commission observed that BYJU'S had initially pledged a refund in case the complainant expressed dissatisfaction within the 15-day trial period. However, it seemed that BYJU’S was not enthusiastic about fulfilling this commitment and had also given the complainant inaccurate information in some way. Furthermore, the learning app imposed an unwarranted fee of ₹9,498 for registration cancellation. Consequently, the Commission determined that these actions indicated unfair trade practices on the part of BYJU'S.

Taking these observations into account, the Commission issued directives to BYJU'S, instructing them to reimburse the entire sum of ₹65,000 for the learning app and ₹9,498 for the registration cancellation. Furthermore, the Commission mandated BYJU'S to provide the complainant with an additional ₹5,000 as compensation for the distress and mental anguish he had endured.