CBSE to schools: Don’t increase fees arbitrarily

Union HRD minister Smriti Irani, addressing concerns about fees hikes and capitation fees in schools affiliated to the Central Board of Secondary Education, said on Friday that the board has asked all the schools not to arbitrarily increase fees and take into confidence parent-teacher associations before initiating any fees hike.

“We have through the CBSE written to all schools saying that for hiking of fees in affiliated schools you have to take into confidence the parent-teacher associations. Till such time they don’t agree to a fee hike, and the fee hike is not in proportion to facilities that you are giving in schools,” she said at a press conference.

“You are not allowed to hike fees in the middle of the year and you are not allowed to keep away receipts which are rightfully to be given away to parents.”

“These are the initiatives and instructions that are going through the government to the schools and states so that the interests of the students can be protected,” she said.

The CBSE sent an advisory to all its affiliated schools on Friday, saying they should not burden students and parents and should run as a “community service and not as a business enterprise.”

“It has been observed recently that there is a growing tendency among some of the institutions to make profit by raising fees under various heads. A large number of CBSE schools are not adhering to the provisions concerning tuition fees laid down in the affiliation bylaws of the board which are mandatory in nature,” the CBSE advisory said.

It also directed schools not to hike fees in mid-session, saying fees should be in line with the facilities and no capitation fees should be charged, failing which, it threatened of action like fine and disaffiliation.

The CBSE said any school found indulging in such practices would be punished and fined, with fines extending to 10 times the capitation fees charged and in case a child is subjected to screening procedure, the school shall be punishable with fine which may extend to Rs 25,000 for first contravention and Rs 50,000 for each subsequent contravention.

“No capitation fees or voluntary donations for gaining admission to the school or for any other purpose should be charged / collected in the name of the school. In case of such malpractices, the board may take drastic action leading to disaffiliation of the school,” the board advisory added.