When a college event is cancelled outright, ticket holders are generally owed their money back. The organiser decides the refund before any money moves. Indian sources treat a full refund as the norm, but they disagree on fees, timelines and who pays. Treat the refund as an approved payout, not an automatic reversal, and make your ticket terms say exactly what happens.
What counts as a cancellation
The first question is whether the event was cancelled at all. Lawvaani, a law-student blog, separates cancelled, postponed, rescheduled and relocated events. It says consumers are most likely to win refunds when an event is cancelled outright [2]. A postponed or moved event is harder to refund, because the ticket may still be valid for the new date. A seller in Jaipur keeps the original ticket valid for a rescheduled event and offers no refund. That is the seller's term, not a legal rule [3].
This matters for college fests. If the date moves, the organiser should say in writing whether the existing ticket still works, whether a refund is offered, and by when a holder must ask for one. If the change also affects permissions or the venue, check the approval route first. The steps are in how to get college permission to hold an event in India.
Why the refund is not automatic
The strongest argument for refunds comes from consumer law. One RTI Wiki guide says organiser-cancelled events are generally treated as a service deficiency under Section 2(11) of the Consumer Protection Act 2019. It adds that a force majeure clause in ticket terms can affect timing but not the statutory right to a refund [1]. That guide is a secondary source. It says it could not open the Act itself, so check the text before you rely on it.
Lawvaani takes a more cautious line. The Act does not directly address every event refund dispute. A 'no refund' clause is not automatically enforceable. Forums look at fairness, the cause and extent of the change, and the remedy offered [2].
Who pays the refund
When tickets are sold through a platform, the money path matters. AllEvents says that for Indian events, refunds for offline-collected payments are the organiser's responsibility under its own cancellation policy. Online payments are refunded from the platform side [4]. Lawvaani adds that ticketing platforms often pass refund decisions to the organiser [2].
For a club or fest, you need two records. The first shows who approved each refund. The second shows every payment, whether it came online or in cash.
Timelines and deadlines
The sources give different timelines. None of them is a statutory rule for college events.
| Source | What it says | Status |
|---|---|---|
| RTI Wiki event guide | Typically 7 to 14 working days | Guidance only [1] |
| RTI Wiki BookMyShow page | Reportedly 5 to 7 working days for a cancelled show, from an instrument the author could not identify | Unverified [5] |
| Jaipur education events seller | Refund requests within 15 days of the cancellation announcement | Seller's own term [3] |
The RTI Wiki's BookMyShow page also says the Act contains no fixed 'X-day refund' rule. So the 7 to 14 day figure is a sensible target, not a legal deadline [5]. The Jaipur seller's 15-day window is a condition for asking. A holder who misses it may lose the right under that seller's terms.
Take a fest with 300 buyers of a Rs 300 ticket. That is Rs 90,000 collected. A full refund means returning Rs 90,000. Under the Jaipur model, the money would not go out until each request is checked against transaction records.
Fees, taxes and add-ons
This is where the sources disagree most. The RTI Wiki says the refund should cover the full ticket value plus convenience fee and add-ons. It calls this its own reading, not a quoted rule [1]. The Jaipur seller refunds the full ticket on an organiser cancellation. It says service fees, convenience charges and taxes are non-refundable [3].
Decide your position before you sell, and publish it. If you refund the ticket price only, say so. If you refund fees too, say that. A buyer who reads the terms before paying is far less likely to dispute the amount. Inter-college events raise the same question. See how to handle registrations from other colleges for an inter-college event before you set terms.
If a refund is not paid
RTI Wiki lists the National Consumer Helpline (1915) and the e-Jagriti portal as escalation routes for an unpaid refund [5]. When many ticket holders are denied at once, it advises a complaint to the Central Consumer Protection Authority at consumeraffairs.nic.in [1]. Keep every message from both sides. Lawvaani says this record matters in disputes [2].
Our view
Our view: if you run a paid event, put the refund rule in the ticket terms before the first sale. Include the refund amount, the approval step, the request deadline and what happens to fees. An agreed process costs less than a dispute after cancellation.
What we could not verify
We found no Indian government or university guidance on refunds for a college fest, workshop or inter-college event. Most sources are secondary guides, law-firm or law-student blogs, or a seller's own policy. The RTI Wiki's timelines and fee reading are its own interpretation. We could not verify the instrument behind the 5 to 7 working day figure. Check your college's student-activity or fee rules, and the terms you gave buyers, before you rely on any timeline here.
Unifesto's refunds need approval before any money moves, so a cancelled event is not refunded with a single click. Per-event financials show refunds alongside collected money and fees. Plans and platform fees are on pricing.
For the money side of a fest, see how to make a budget for a college fest. It covers keeping a contingency for exactly this kind of cost.
FAQ
Do I always get my money back if a college event is cancelled?
For an outright cancellation, ticket holders are generally owed a refund under the consumer law view in the RTI Wiki guide. Lawvaani notes that a 'no refund' clause is not automatically unenforceable, and outcomes depend on fairness and the remedy offered [1][2]. A postponed or rescheduled event is treated differently.
Are convenience fees refunded when an event is cancelled?
Sources disagree. The RTI Wiki reads the refund as covering fees and add-ons. A Jaipur education seller says service fees and taxes are non-refundable [1][3]. Publish your position before you sell.
How long should a refund take?
There is no statutory deadline for college events. The RTI Wiki gives a typical range of 7 to 14 working days as guidance only. The Jaipur seller asks for requests within 15 days of the announcement [1][3].
Who is responsible for paying the refund?
AllEvents says the organiser handles refunds for offline payments, while online payments are refunded from the platform side. Ticketing platforms often pass decisions to the organiser [2][4].
Where can I complain if a refund is not paid?
RTI Wiki lists the National Consumer Helpline on 1915 and the e-Jagriti portal. It advises a CCPA complaint at consumeraffairs.nic.in when many people are affected [1][5].
Sources
- Ticket Refund After Show Cancellation in India · RTI Wiki: https://righttoinformation.wiki/event-ticket-refund-show-cancelled-india
- Event Postponed, Refund Denied: Understanding Your Rights as a Ticket Holder in India - Lawvaani: https://lawvaani.com/event-postponed-refund-denied-understanding-your-rights-as-a-ticket-holder-in-india/
- Refund & Cancellation Policy - Education Events in India: https://jaipureducationsummit.org/refund-cancellation-policy/
- How do I cancel & refund a ticket to my attendees? - Support Center: https://support.allevents.in/article/142-how-to-cancel-refund-a-ticket-to-your-attendees
- BookMyShow Cancellation Refund India 2026 · RTI Wiki: https://righttoinformation.wiki/bookmyshow-cancellation-refund-india