Ranchi Schools Face Notices for Fee Hikes & Book Sales Under Education Act

Ranchi: The Ranchi district administration on Monday issued notices to 20 private schools that flouted rules under the Jharkhand Education Tribunal (Amendment) Act-2017 like imposing arbitrary fee hike on the parents of children enrolled in their educational institutions and selling books on their respective campuses, a statemnet issued by the administration read.

Taking cognizance of increasing number of complaints from parents over arbitrary fee hike and issues concerning student safety, deputy commissioner (DC) Manjunath Bhajantri on Monday held a review meeting with the representatives of private schools affiliated to the CBSE, ICSE and JAC boards.

Issued a series of directives to the schools, the DC asked them to submit detailed, class-wise fee structures for the past three academic sessions as well as the ongoing 2026–27 session by April 20 in accordance with the Act.

Warning them of stringent action if they were found violating norms, DC said, “Any arbitrary increase in fees or the collection of hefty annual charges in a lump sum would be treated as a form of re-admission, which is not permissible. Charging re-admission fees for promotion to the next class is a violation of the Act. Also, application forms priced at Rs 2,000–Rs 3,000 should not be used as a source of income.”

Schools have also been directed to set up Parents-Teachers Associations (PTAs) and school-level fee committees to ensure transparency in fee determination.

Additionally, schools have been instructed not to sell books or uniforms on campus or compel parents to purchase them from specific vendors. Parents are free to procure these items from the open market.

Stress was also laid on ensuring safety of students while being transported to school or back home. District transport officer Akhilesh Kumar said, “All school vehicles must adhere to the prescribed safety norms. Auto-rickshaws and vans transporting students should have proper side rods and brackets, while school buses must be equipped with functional fire safety systems.”

Usha Kiran Jha, principal of Tender Heart School, said that transparency in fee structures would help strengthen trust between schools and parents.

Sukripa Kerketta, principal of Divine Mercy School, Namkum, said fee structures should remain reasonable, particularly for rural families, as quality education must be accessible to all.

Officials indicated that violations of the prescribed norms could attract fines ranging from Rs 50,000 to Rs 2.5 lakh, and in serious cases, further regulatory action may be initiated.

Ajay Rai, president of Jharkhand Parents Association said, “We hope that the decisions will be followed and administration will continue to keep tabs.”