"All such institutions or education centres, which are run in residential premises without having been recognised by the UGC or on the premise of ex post facto sanction (with retrospective effect), should be identified and closed down," Delhi State Consumer Commission Chairman Justice J D Kapoor said.

The Commission also came down heavily on the Director General of Civil Aviation (DGCA) for granting recognition to a course in aircraft maintenance offered by an institute operating from a house in Punjabi Bagh in west Delhi.

Justice Kapoor's order came while dismissing an appeal filed by the institute, Indian Institute of Aeronautics (IIA) which offers B Tech in Aircraft Maintenance Engineering, against an order of the district consumer forum to refund a student's fees.

The forum had asked the IIA to refund Rs 82,500 to Diwakar Dhayani, a candidate and to pay a compensation of Rs 50,000 to him for "harassment and mental tension" besides Rs 10,000 as cost of litigation for the B Tech course, to which he enrolled in June 2005, was not recognised by the UGC.

In its appeal, the IIA claimed having approval from DGCA to offer an Aircraft Maintenance Engineering licence course and due recognition from JRN Rajasthan Vidyapeeth (Deemed University), Udaipur, to conduct a 4-year professional B Tech programme.