Students are not consumers: MP Consumer Redressal Commission

The Madhya Pradesh Consumer Disputes Redressal Commission upholding an order of the District Consumer Forum held that students cannot be considered as consumers under Consumer Protection Act, 1986. In the present case four students sued Pt. Khushilal Sharma Government Autonomous Ayurveda College, Bhopal, along with Barkatullah University and Central Council of Indian Medicine alleging that at time of the admission they were told that the duration of course for Bachelor of Ayurvedic Medical Science would be four and half years which was extended to six years hence the students could not appear for competitive exams.

It further held that the evidence produced before the commission made it clear that the duration of the course was not four and half years but rather five and half years including six/twelve months of internship.