Title: FIITJEE LIMITED v. ALLEN EDUCATION AND MANAGEMENT SERVICES PVT. LTD & ORS
Pronounced on: 12th June, 2023, I.A. 9975/2023 in CS (COMM.) 331/2023
CORAM: HON’BLE MR. JUSTICE CHANDRA DHARI SINGH
Facts of the Case
On Monday, the Delhi High Court declined to provide interim relief to FIITJEE in its petition against Allen Career Institute, in which FIITJEE said that Allen Career Institute had taken credit for the results of one of its students who had passed the JEE (Main) 2023 test. The student, identified as Malay Kedia, registered in FIITJEE’s “Four Year Classroom Programme for IIT-JEE (Advanced)-Weekend Contact Classes” in 2018. The lawsuit claimed that the student had attended lessons until September 2022 but had ceased doing so after October 07 of the previous year.
Allen coaching institute was named as a defendant in the complaint filed by FIITJEE to prevent it from releasing photographs or advertisements on social media platforms or print media claiming credit for the student’s accomplishment. Justice Chandra Dhari Singh ruled against granting the temporary restraining order, explaining that the articles cited by FIITJEE did not prove that the Allen coaching institution had consciously sought to capitalise on the student’s achievements.
Courts Analysis and Judgement
The judge stated that the interviews included in the news stories were given by Respondent No. 6 Student, who “discussed his success story without attributing it to either of the parties.” Since the learner was no more enrolled at FIITJEE and had stopped to be their student prior to taking the JEE Mains, the court stated, “Therefore, any interview or assertion that may be provided by him qua about his tests or the results thereby will nevertheless not include any details of his education and will not in any style bias, injure or influence the plaintiff irreparably.”
Justice Singh noted that a student’s achievement is the consequence of his or her own hard work and limitless efforts toward a certain objective. Therefore, the court said, it is not acceptable to involve a kid in a commercially motivated lawsuit between competing coaching organizations that both take credit for the child’s achievement. The court ruled that there was not any evidence to suggest that an established institution like FIITJEE had reason to fear for its reputation.
The court stated, “the institute’s only fear is that the student’s time spent with them will not be compensated by way of business accreditation and validation,” which “in thought about view is not sufficient at all warrant an exemption from an indefinite restraining order as established under Order XXXIX of the CPC.”
The preliminary hearing in the main action is scheduled for July 27.
Judgment- click here to review the judgment
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Written by- Anushka Satwani
