Madras HC directs Annamalai University to refund INR 10.5 lakh to MBBS student

Observing that the vacant seat was filled and that Annamalai University did not suffer any loss, the high court has directed the university to refund INR 10.5 lakh to a student who discontinued MBBS at the university and joined another college, read here for more details.

Madras high court has ordered Annamalai University to refund an amount of INR 10.5 lakh to a student who discontinued MBBS at the university and joined another college. 

Justice K Kumaresh Babu of the Madurai bench noted that the college could only retain the fee for the months during which the student had actually studied in the college along with the processing fee but in this case, the college withheld the entire fee for the first year of MBBS.

"In the present case on hand, the Institution had admitted another student in the vacancy that had arisen due to the petitioner's daughter leaving the Institution. There is no loss that is caused to the institution. What the institution now seeks to achieve, in my view, is an unjust enrichment amounting to profiteering, which it has been heavily come down by the Hon'ble Apex Court," said the court, as reported by Live Law.

The background of the case

The candidate joined the university in August 2016 for an MBBS course and later on, she got admission to another college in Madurai and requested to be relieved from the college. To get the transfer certificate, she was asked to pay the remaining fee of INR 22,52,000.

In December 2016, the university refunded a sum of INR 17,50,000 rupees but retained the tuition fee for the entire year amounting to INR 5,54,370 rupees and a bond breakage fee of INR 5,00,000 rupees.

Read more: 

• MP Budget 2023: MBBS seats to increase from 2,055 to 3,605
• Final year MBBS student commits suicide in Karnataka