According to the students, the institute had assured them that job placements would commence as early as the third month of their one-year diploma course.
KOCHI: A group of students from a private institute in the city took to the streets on Monday to protest against alleged fraudulent practices at the centre. The students claimed they had been promised job placements with major airline companies, but the institute failed to fulfil its commitments. However, the owner and managing director of the institute strongly denied all the allegations and accused the students of launching a smear campaign.
According to the students, the institute had assured them that job placements would commence as early as the third month of their one-year diploma course. “The course fee is Rs 1.5 lakh for one year, which is significantly higher than what other centres charge. We were willing to pay this amount because the institute dangled the enticing prospect of immediate job placements, especially with prestigious airlines like Qatar Airways,” alleged the students.
“However, to our dismay, even after a year, none of us secured positions with Qatar Airways or even with domestic airlines. Many of our seniors only managed to find jobs at local airports, working in cafeterias as waiters!” the students claimed. When they raised their concerns, the owner filed a police complaint against them. “Only a few students from the first two batches secured placements in Qatar. However, we have learned that they are not receiving the promised salaries,” alleged the students, who are now demanding a refund of the fees they paid to the institute.
Meanwhile, the institute’s owner dismissed the allegations as baseless. “These students are making baseless accusations. How can we issue certificates or provide placements to students who haven’t taken their exams?” he countered.
He asserted that they have successfully placed students who completed their examinations. According to him, in the current batch to which the protesting students belong, everyone except them participated in the end-of-course examination. “I filed a complaint with the police after these students stormed into my office and verbally abused me and my family. I have learned that these students have caused similar issues at other institutes they attended,” he said.
Nithin Rosh