SRINAGAR: The School Fee Fixation Committee (SFFC) has issued a directive to the management of Delhi Public School (DPS) Srinagar, addressing several fee-related concerns raised by parents.
The order, issued by the Chairman of SFFC, instructs the school management to make key adjustments to the fee structure, including tuition fees and security deposits.
The SFFC has taken note of the abrupt 20 percent increase in tuition fees mid-session and recognized that it could pose a financial burden on parents and has directed the school management to charge the raised tuition fee in two instalments. “Specifically, 10 percent of the increased tuition fee will be charged in the 2023-24 session, with the remaining 10 percent to be levied in the subsequent academic year, 2024-25,” the order reads.
One of the key issues addressed by the SFFC is the charging of a substantial security deposit, set at Rs 90,000, which parents contend is being misrepresented as an admission fee.
“This practice is not in compliance with the law and is expressly prohibited by statute. As a result, the parents who have paid this amount to seek a refund from the school management,” the SFFC order reads.
The SFFC also noted an average increase in the annual fee, rising from Rs 8,700 to Rs 14,000. “To alleviate the burden on parents, the committee has directed the school management to charge the enhanced annual fee in two instalments, as outlined in the order passed on August 14, 2023. Parents will have the opportunity to pay the second instalment of the annual fee up to February 2024.”
Furthermore, the SFFC has mandated that future annual fees be collected in two instalments: the first at the beginning of each new session and the second in July each year.
The SFFC has also set clear guidelines for the imposition of late fees, specifying that late fees will only be charged if a parent fails to deposit fees consecutively for three months. “No late fee will be applied to payments delayed by less than three months,” it reads.
“The committee has directed the school to provide an explanation within one week as to why transport fees exceeding Rs 2,000 are being charged from students availing transport services. The matter has also been reported to be under challenge in the High Court,” it reads.
Moreover, in response to complaints about the lack of a redressal forum, the SFFC has directed the school management to establish a grievance redressal committee, which will not include members of the school trust. The details of the committee’s members are to be submitted within one week.
The SFFC has advised parents to approach the committee whenever they are aggrieved by the actions or orders of the school management, reaffirming their commitment to ensuring fair and transparent fee structures for the benefit of students and parents—(KNO)
