Schools to face action on arbitrary school fee hikes

Prayagraj: Taking serious note of continuous complaints regarding arbitrary fee hikes and irregularities in the sale of books, uniforms and other materials, district magistrate Manish Kumar Verma has issued directions to private schools in Prayagraj.The directives were issued during a meeting of the district fee regulatory committee held on Friday under the provisions of the UP Self-Financed Independent Schools (Fee Regulation) Act, 2018. To ensure prompt redressal of grievances, the DM designated the city magistrate and the district inspector of schools (DIOS), Prayagraj, as joint nodal officers. Parents have been advised to submit written complaints to either of these offices.During the meeting, DIOS PN Singh said that all unaided schools affiliated with boards such as CBSE, CISCE and the UP Board must display their fee structure on their websites and notice boards. Schools are prohibited from charging any amount beyond the prescribed fees and must issue proper receipts for all payments.He further clarified that no school can force students to purchase books, uniforms, or other items from specific vendors. Fee increases must remain within prescribed limits, linked to teachers’ salary increments and the Consumer Price Index, and cannot exceed 5% of the total fee collected.The DM also directed officials to obtain audit reports of the past three years, fee details of the last five years, and salary records of teachers and staff from all private schools within a week. A review meeting will be held after 15 days, and strict action, including financial penalties and possible withdrawal of recognition, will be taken against schools found violating the rules or failing to submit the required information.