Private schools demand 5-month ‘additional fee’; Students, parents protest
ADM summons erring lot; Says violators to face music
Class 12th students and their parents Tuesday staged protests against some leading private schools accusing them of “unduly demanding additional fee of five months when our academic session has already concluded.”
The complainants who registered their protests at Mushtaq Memorial Press Enclave said the students had to appear in the final board exams in the coming days but that for the issuance of roll number slips, schools have made additional fee deposition mandatory.
They said apart from a leading school in the City center, a girls-only school at Raj Bagh has also resorted to same tactics.
The examination for 12th standard will commence on March 4. “We already submitted yearly fee in advance ranging from Rs 38,000 for the in-house students and Rs 55,000 for entrant who had come from outside schools,” the protesting students said.
The students said the reason for charging extra-fee for five months, according to school administration was because of change in exam session from December to March. “They want to cash an academic session of 17 months.”
Meanwhile the Additional District Magistrate GM Dar summoned a leading school in the City center asking it to refrain from overcharging. Sources said during the hearing, ADM cautioned the school management to refrain from charging additional fee or that FIR would be registered against them. Dar is understood to have summoned another leading school based in Raj Bagh for hearing on Thursday.
Deputy Commissioner (DC) Srinagar, Farooq Ahmad Lone while confirming the development said: “We asked them not to charge extra fee for five months or we will lodge an FIR against them.”
He said Director School Education Kashmir would be taken on board on the issue.
