The complainant was forced to approach the police as the aided school was not refunding the capitation fees of Rs 9,500 to Rs 10,000 charged as ‘book money’
Mumbai : The Govandi police registered a First Information Report (FIR) against Our Lady of Perpetual Succour High School, Chembur, on Saturday for allegedly charging capitation fees and not refunding the money despite orders from the education department.
Bhalchandra Rane, senior inspector of Govandi police station, said, “The school management has sent a letter to us which mentioned that the fees were charged after the Parent Teachers Association (PTA) gave its approval.”
Sachin Shah, the complainant, said, “They were forced to approach the police as the aided school was not refunding the capitation fees of Rs 9,500 to Rs 10,000 charged as ‘book money. While the same books cost 1200 only.”
The Prohibition of Capitation Fee Act says that collecting any fee not prescribed by the state government is illegal. “Fee for books, uniforms is not prescribed by the government and the high court has banned schools from selling such things in the campus,’’ said Shah.
School manager Father Paul Julius refused to speak to journalists over the issue. Police sources said that Julius said that a few parents had “ulterior motives” to complain against the school.
T M Dongre, education officer of north zone, said, “The education department too had ordered the school to refund this money before June 15 and issued them a show cause notice.”
Shah further said, “The school put up a notice saying that students seeking refund will not be allowed to participate in school activities and not get report cards, fee receipts, circulars, etc.”
“We are also investigating the case and investigating team will submit the report to me within two days,” said Dongre.
Jayant Jain, President of Forum for Fairness in Education, Non Government organisation(NGO), said, “ Initially, the Govandi police refused register the our complaint and we approached Lakhmi Gautam, DCP(zone 6) who ordered the senior to register the case.” “We are investigating the case and no arrest has been made,” said Gautam.
The Govandi police Saturday registered a complaint against the school management under sections 7A and 7AA of the Prohibition of Capitation Fee Act (1987), under which collecting capitation fee is a cognisable and non-bailable offence with a provision of imprisonment up to two years and a fine.
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