Skip to main content
CourseKiln

Mis-sold a course or coaching in India? How to get your money back

By CourseKiln Editorial·Published ·3 min read

In India your strongest lever is the Consumer Protection Act of 2019, which treats a seller's failure to deliver what was promised as a "deficiency in service," and false claims about a course as an "unfair trade practice." Both give you a right to a refund, replacement or compensation. Start with a written refund demand that names Section 2(11) for deficiency in service and Section 2(47) for unfair trade practice, and give the seller a reasonable window, commonly seven to fourteen days, to put it right.

The e-commerce rules help. Under the Consumer Protection E-Commerce Rules of 2020, an online seller must display a clear refund and cancellation policy and appoint a grievance officer who has to acknowledge your complaint within 48 hours and resolve it within a month. A seller ignoring its own grievance process is already in the wrong.

Card chargeback. A chargeback is available on credit and debit cards run through the networks, and a UPI payment can often be disputed through your bank or app. Time limits run roughly 30 to 120 days, so act promptly. If the bank refuses, escalate to the Reserve Bank of India's Integrated Ombudsman.

No general cooling-off, and no Section 75 equivalent. India has no general statutory right to change your mind on an online purchase, and no joint-liability credit-card scheme. The strength is in the consumer commissions, not in cooling-off.

Where to complain. File on the E-Daakhil portal at edaakhil.nic.in. The District Commission hears claims up to one crore rupees, the State Commission from one to ten crore, and the National Commission above that. Filing fees are small, often a hundred rupees for modest claims, hearings can be virtual, and the orders are enforceable as court decrees. Before or alongside that, the National Consumer Helpline on 1915, also on WhatsApp at 8800001915, will try to mediate with the seller.

A letter to start the claim. Send this written demand to the seller before you file, naming the Act.

Dear [seller],

On [date] I paid [amount] for [the course or coaching]. What was provided amounts to a deficiency in service under Section 2(11) of the Consumer Protection Act 2019, and the claims made to sell it were an unfair trade practice under Section 2(47), because [state what was promised and what was delivered]. I request a full refund of [amount] within [15] days. If it is not resolved, I will file a complaint on the E-Daakhil portal of the consumer commission.

[Your name]

A version to ask a seller for proof before you ever pay is on letters you can send.

Then check the next seller before you pay: proof you did not make yourself.

Common questions

How do I file a consumer complaint about a course in India, and is it expensive?

File on the E-Daakhil portal at edaakhil.nic.in. The District Commission hears claims up to one crore rupees, filing fees are small and often around a hundred rupees for modest claims, hearings can be virtual, and orders are enforceable as court decrees. The National Consumer Helpline on 1915 will also try to mediate with the seller first.

What law do I cite when demanding a refund from an Indian coaching seller?

Name Section 2(11) of the Consumer Protection Act 2019 for deficiency in service and Section 2(47) for unfair trade practice in a written demand, and give a reasonable window of around seven to fourteen days. Under the 2020 E-Commerce Rules the seller must also run a grievance process that acknowledges within 48 hours and resolves within a month.

Sources