Bhopal (Madhya Pradesh): There’s a difference between fees mentioned by private schools on government’s official portal and those actually recovered by schools. According to school education department’s official web portal, schools are required to disclose fees under six specified categories - registration, admission, caution money, annual charges, monthly fees and activity/practical fees.
However, the official data indicate that many schools are charging fees in 20 to 25 categories, including items such as amalgamation fees, staff welfare fees, teaching aid fees, almanac fees, school magazine fees, processing fees, enrichment fees, miscellaneous fees and vocational training fees among others.
This suggests a significant deviation from mandated guidelines laid by the government. State Palak Sangh general secretary Prabodh Pandya told Free Press that the details uploaded by the school on the portal were far from reality. “The school should charge fees only in six categories but they have imposed fees on every little thing,” he added.
In response to allegations about private schools, a private school principal told Free Press that they were asked to fill in the details according to categories mentioned. “And we have filled in according to all the mentioned categories,” he added wishing anoymity.
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Action taken
The administrative authorities have taken action against several private schools in several districts. Under Madhya Pradesh Private School Fee Regulation Act, schools in Jabalpur, Bhopal, Harda, Ujjain, Indore, Shahdol, Sheopur and Gwalior have been directed to refund excess fees charged from parents.
In case of failure, a penalty was imposed on the school. //The law The state government has implemented Madhya Pradesh Private School (Fee and Related Matters Regulation) Act, 2017, and Rules 2020 to address the issue of unnecessary fee hike by private schools annually. Despite yearly directives from the department, compliance remains low, with only a fraction of schools adhering to directives.
