PIONEER NEWS SERVICE | Dehradun
The National Association for Parents and Students Rights (NAPSR) called for the establishment of a committee that includes members from linear departments to address the arbitrary percentage of fee hike in private schools.
As the new academic session begins, it has been observed, as every year, that many private schools are altering their fee structures, which often creates difficulties for parents. In response, the Education department has issued directives to these schools concerning fee hikes. However, parents have opined that written orders are insufficient; they believe that authorities need to focus on enforcing regulations, including the fees Act to prevent financial exploitation.
A parent, Harshit Tyagi, expressed his concern regarding the annual increase in fees imposed by private schools. He said that although the Education department issues orders each year, these directives are rarely enforced, rendering them mere formalities. In addition to fee hikes, private schools also exploit parents in various ways. To address such practices, Tyagi supports the implementation of regulations, including a fee act, by the authorities without delay.
“I enrolled my son in a private school two years ago and I have noticed that their fees are hiked by 15 to 20 per cent each year. This directly impacts parents financially. While the Education department and other officials consistently issue guidelines at the start of the academic year, no real inspections are conducted to enforce compliance. The authorities must take concrete action against private schools, rather than just issuing written directives,” added another parent, Jasmine.
Many other parents have voiced similar concerns regarding the annual arbitrary fee hikes. The NAPSR president Arif Khan stated that according to the norms, private schools are permitted to raise their fees by no more than 10 per cent after every three years. However, this regulation has yet to be adhered to even once, as private schools continue to impose fee hikes arbitrarily each year. He pointed out that while the Education department issues guidelines annually, they are seldom enforced. Instead of merely providing written guidelines, real action is needed at the ground level. For example, a committee should be established that includes members from the relevant department to oversee the inspection of fee hikes at private schools.
Khan emphasised that if any school is found to be in violation of these norms, the committee should promptly take action against them rather than simply issuing warnings, as this would serve as a strong deterrent for other schools. He also said that while the government managed to pass a Uniform Civil Code (UCC) and land laws in just a few years, it has struggled for years to enact the Fees Act. He urged the government not to delay further and to implement the Fees Act as soon as possible to address the fee hike cases that exploit parents every year.
