Jammu, Apr 7: Acting on several complaints, the Directorate of School Education, Jammu (DSEJ) on Friday issued a circular prohibiting private schools from mandating purchases from particular shops, imposing additional fees beyond tuition fees for the 2023-24 Academic Year.
As per the circular issued by Director School Education Jammu, Dr Ravi Shanker Sharma, with the commencement of new academic session in schools for 2023-24, complaints and grievances have been received that some private schools are demanding the annual charges and admission fee and other charges besides tuition fee from the parents of students enrolled in these schools and have also enhanced their annual charges and tuition fee without approval of the Fee Fixation and Regulation Committee (FFRC).
“Besides, a number of complaints have also been received as reported by DSEJs tele-counselling helpline ‘Ayo BaatKarein’ on daily basis and also through emails regarding the demand of annual charges and admission charges alongwith the tuition fee by the private schools,” reads the circular.
Official circular further reads that orders passed by the committee for Fixation and Regulation of Fee of private schools shall be deemed to have been duly passed by a public servant and its violation or non-compliance shall amount to disobedience, the private schools shall not charge any fee from the students or guardians, except tuition fee, annual fee, transport fee and voluntary special purpose fee such as the picnic, tour and excursions, etc. completely voluntary in nature or any other fee as may be approved by the Committee For Fixation And Regulation of Fee of private schools after following the procedure prescribed and any person or private school which contravenes the directions, shall be liable to a fine of not less than Rs.50,000/- for first offence and Rs one lakh for every subsequent offence including recommendation for disaffiliation of such private school by the committee.
“The enhancement in tuition fee and annual charges by the schools the approval of Fee Fixation and Regulation Committee (FFRC) is not justified and it is once again ordered that all the private schools shall strictly abide by the J&K School Education Act 2002 as any deviation shall invite action as per the Act,” it reads.
Meanwhile in a separate circular, the Director School Education stated that complaints have also been received from different quarters against the private schools regarding purchase of text books stationery items and school uniforms etc. from a particular shop which is amounting to extra financial burden on parents for purchase of books not prescribed by the Board to which the school is affiliated.
“It is made amply clear to the management of all schools that they shall notify through their websites the list of subjects and the books prescribed by the Board to which they are affiliated and no other subject or book shall be made mandatory.
“Under no circumstances, any school shall ask parents to buy books from a particular book shop,” reads the circular.
“All Chief Education Officers shall constitute special monitoring teams headed by Deputy Chief Education Officers and Zonal Education Officers to verify the complaints received on account of sale of books and uniforms by the private schools or pressing parents for purchase from any particular shop. Action taken shall be submitted to this Directorate on a monthly basis,” read the circular.
As per the circular issued by Director School Education Jammu, Dr Ravi Shanker Sharma, with the commencement of new academic session in schools for 2023-24, complaints and grievances have been received that some private schools are demanding the annual charges and admission fee and other charges besides tuition fee from the parents of students enrolled in these schools and have also enhanced their annual charges and tuition fee without approval of the Fee Fixation and Regulation Committee (FFRC).
“Besides, a number of complaints have also been received as reported by DSEJs tele-counselling helpline ‘Ayo BaatKarein’ on daily basis and also through emails regarding the demand of annual charges and admission charges alongwith the tuition fee by the private schools,” reads the circular.
Official circular further reads that orders passed by the committee for Fixation and Regulation of Fee of private schools shall be deemed to have been duly passed by a public servant and its violation or non-compliance shall amount to disobedience, the private schools shall not charge any fee from the students or guardians, except tuition fee, annual fee, transport fee and voluntary special purpose fee such as the picnic, tour and excursions, etc. completely voluntary in nature or any other fee as may be approved by the Committee For Fixation And Regulation of Fee of private schools after following the procedure prescribed and any person or private school which contravenes the directions, shall be liable to a fine of not less than Rs.50,000/- for first offence and Rs one lakh for every subsequent offence including recommendation for disaffiliation of such private school by the committee.
“The enhancement in tuition fee and annual charges by the schools the approval of Fee Fixation and Regulation Committee (FFRC) is not justified and it is once again ordered that all the private schools shall strictly abide by the J&K School Education Act 2002 as any deviation shall invite action as per the Act,” it reads.
Meanwhile in a separate circular, the Director School Education stated that complaints have also been received from different quarters against the private schools regarding purchase of text books stationery items and school uniforms etc. from a particular shop which is amounting to extra financial burden on parents for purchase of books not prescribed by the Board to which the school is affiliated.
“It is made amply clear to the management of all schools that they shall notify through their websites the list of subjects and the books prescribed by the Board to which they are affiliated and no other subject or book shall be made mandatory.
“Under no circumstances, any school shall ask parents to buy books from a particular book shop,” reads the circular.
“All Chief Education Officers shall constitute special monitoring teams headed by Deputy Chief Education Officers and Zonal Education Officers to verify the complaints received on account of sale of books and uniforms by the private schools or pressing parents for purchase from any particular shop. Action taken shall be submitted to this Directorate on a monthly basis,” read the circular.
