CBSE schools will have to declare fee structure on website

Schools might be required to disclose all the heads under which they collect student fee such as tuition, computer classes, transport, and medical.

The information has to be displayed on their website, and make parents part of the management committee so that they would be aware of any proposed fee hike. These are part of revised affiliation bylaws that have been drafted by the Central Board of Central Education (CBSE), which runs more than 18,000 schools across the country, a source said.

The schools will have to give complete information about their infrastructure on their website. Schools failing to adhere to any of the bylaws could face a penalty of up to ₹1 lakh.

Sources said residential schools affiliated to the CBSE will not be able to collect hostel fee in advance, which in many cases go up to several lakhs of rupees.

The CBSE had set up a committee to review its affiliation bylaws to enable it to combat rampant commercialisation of school education.

“We can’t regulate how much fee they can charge, but they will have to clearly specify the heads under which the fee is being charged. They will have to follow the same heads that are defined by the states so that there is uniformity. The fee will have to match facilities provided by the schools,” said a senior government official.

The Union human resource development ministry has asked the CBSE to consult all stakeholders — including parents and schools — in drafting the bylaws, a source informed. “The proposed bylaws will be made public and parents will get an opportunity to give their views. A meet for parents will be organised too. We will incorporate their suggestions as well as that of the schools.” The board will give affiliation to schools for five years. To ensure schools abide by the bylaws, sources said the institutes will sign a legal agreement with the CBSE.

Parents have welcomed the move to make it mandatory for schools to show the fee break-up.

“It is a good step as schools charge a lot of money as fee but seldom displace the heads,” said Chanda Sarma, a resident of Rohini.