J&K schools told not to charge fee from new students retrospectively

Following complaints by parents, Jammu and Kashmir fee fixation authorities have barred private schools from seeking fee retrospectively from students who are seeking new admissions.

The Fee Fixation and Regulation Committee (FFRC) of private schools headed by retired justice Sunil Hali on Tuesday issued an order, cautioning private schools which are either in the process of completing the admission process or have completed the same.

The development comes six days after Kashmir director school education Tasaduq Hussain Mir warned private schools of strict action for charging prohibited capitation charges from students.

“Complaints are pouring in from the parents, that some schools are charging fee retrospectively for the months the student has not been on rolls of the school and has not availed any services from the school,” the order said. “In this regard all the private schools are put under orders not to charge fees retrospectively for the period a student has not been on the rolls of school,” it added.

Warned of strict action

The committee is a statutory body constituted under Section 20 A of Jammu and Kashmir School Education Act 2002 for the purposes of regulating and determining the fee in private schools in the UT. Schools were asked to charge a fee from the date a student is actually admitted in the school.

FFRC also warned of strict action in case schools defy the orders. “Any violation shall warrant action in accordance with law which may include recommending to the government for derecognition or dis-affiliation of the school,” the order said.