DSE, school to pay Rs 30,000 to student for marksheet error

Chennai: A city consumer forum has directed Directorate of School Education and a private matriculation higher secondary school in the city to pay a compensation of Rs 30,000 to a girl student for issuing a higher secondary examination mark sheet with error. In her mark sheet it was wrongly declared that she had secured ‘5’ marks in Practicals in Chemistry.

In the petition, Amar, Chennai (name changed) said his daughter was studying in a famous matriculation higher secondary school in Chennai from 2006. She was a bright student and never failed till Plus-2.

She appeared for the public examination held in March 2012. In the results published through Internet on May 22, 2012 the mark sheet showed she secured ‘5’ instead of 50 in internal marks in Chemistry subject.

The petitioner informed the matter to the school. Immediately, the school management sent a letter to the Director of School Education, DPI Complex, Nungambakkam. The management promised that it would carry out the necessary amendment before the issuance of the hard copy of the original mark sheet. But the promise was not followed. Due to delay she was not able to apply for best higher education institutions in time.  

As such the act of the department and the school clearly amounts to gross deficiency in service and caused him harassment, mental agony and hardship.

He filed the complaint seeking a compensation of Rs 24 lakh. The Directorate of School Education remained absent from the hearing. In its reply, the school management stated that the complaint was not maintainable. Soon after bringing the matter to their notice they forwarded a letter to Directorate highlighting the error and requesting to make the changes at the earliest. However, she received the original uncorrected mark sheet on May 30, 2012.

The school followed up the matter with the Directorate but as the department was held up in their administrative work relating to revaluation etc. they issued the corrected mark statement only on June 13, 2012. Hence, the school had not committed any deficiency in the service.

The District Consumer Dispute Redressal Forum, Chennai (South) bench comprising President M. Mony, members K. Amala and Dr. T.Paul Rajasekaran, said the Directorate issued corrected mark sheet after 21 days.

In the meantime, issuing the wrong mark sheet might have caused mental agony to the student. However, after the receipt of the mark sheet reasonable time was available for applying for higher education.

“Considering the facts and circumstances complainant is entitled for Rs 25,000 towards mental agony and cost of Rs 5,000”, the bench added.