HARYANA SCHOOL EDUCATION BOARD Vs. TILAK RAJ

JUDGEMENT

(1.) The appellant. Board of School Education, Haryana (for short the Board) conducts Middle and Matriculation Examinations within the State of Haryana. The respondent herein appeard in the Matriculation Examination held in March, 1981 and was allotted Roll No. 615347. The result thereof was published in the official Gazette later on. To the charging of the respondent complainant, his result was described therein as R.L. (Result Later) and E (Eligibility).

(2.) According to the complainant, he ran from pillar to post trying to get his result declared but to no avail. He also made written representations to the Board requesting them to expedite his case and release his result but those also bore no fruit. In January, 1991, he filed a complaint befor the State Consumer Dispute Redressal Commission, Haryana at Chandigarh claiming Rs. 5,00,000.00 as compensation for the inadequacy of and the shortcomdings in the 'service' rendered by the Board. His contention was that had the respondent declared his result, he could have continued his education and would now be holding a decent job.

(3.) In the counter filed by the Board through its .Secretary a preliminary objection to maintainability of the complaint under the Consummer Protection Act, 1986 was taken. It was averred that the Board only conducts Middle and Matriculation Examinations for prescribed fees, which according to them, are nominal charges to partly meet the expenses for conducting the examinations for prescribed fees, which according to them, are nominal charges to partly meet the expenses for conducting the examinations and they do not render any 'service' for any consideration nor the complainant is a 'consumer' as he cannot be said to have hired a service for consideration.