Ahmedabad: What began as a routine admission payment turned into months of anxiety for an Ahmedabad-based family before they finally managed to recover Rs 25,000 paid as a token fee to a private university.Law aspirant Anushka Bhatt sought admission to the BA LLB programme at Indus University, Ahmedabad, and paid Rs 25,000 on May 6, 2025. The payment was acknowledged through an electronic receipt and, according to the family, accompanied by an assurance that the amount would be refunded if she chose to withdraw.Her mother, Purvi Bhatt, said the family was initially hesitant. “I got repeated calls from the university to confirm admission and pay the fees. However, we prioritized other institutions and, therefore, we did not confirm the admission. Upon insistence and assurance that the token fee would be refunded, I paid Rs 25,000. I got a receipt but was verbally informed that it would be refunded if I chose to cancel,” she said.In June, when the family decided to cancel the admission, they submitted the required cancellation form, receipt, and bank details. What followed, they said, was a prolonged wait. “When I decided to cancel the admission, they did not do so immediately and kept delaying for months, after which I had no choice but to turn to the Consumer Education and Research Centre (CERC),” Purvi added.With no refund forthcoming despite repeated follow-ups, the family approached the CERC, Ahmedabad, and lodged a formal complaint. After examining the documents, CERC issued a notice to the university seeking an explanation and urging immediate redressal. Following the intervention, the university contacted the complainant, collected the necessary bank details, and processed the payment. The full Rs 25,000 was subsequently refunded.CERC officials and activists say such disputes are common during the admission season, when students often block seats in multiple institutions before finalizing their choice. “Educational institutions must honour their refund commitments and ensure timely redressal of grievances. Delays in refund not only cause financial hardship but also significant mental stress to students and their families,” said Meghavi Joshi, manager, complaint department, CERC.
