No annual fee charge for schools in Kashmir: FFRC

The J&K Committee for Fixation and Regulation of Fee of Private Schools (FFRC) on Wednesday directed all schools in the Valley not to charge annual fees for the period from November 2022 to March 2023 following the change of academic calendar by the government. “Any breach of this order will result in initiating action according to law,” FFRC chairman Justice MH Attar (retd) said in an order.

The FFRC order was issued in response to Tyndale Biscoe and Mallinson School, and two other affiliate institutions, asking parents to pay annual fee for the five-month period as the current academic session had been extended by virtue of the government order. The J&K State Board of Education used to conduct annual examinations for Classes X, XI and XII for students hailing from Kashmir and some parts of Jammu region in October and November.

However, a government order last month aligned the academic calendar of all schools in the UT with the rest of the country. The FFRC directive said that during an interaction with the managements of these four schools, it was made clear that in view of the government order the new admissions will commence from March. “It was thus impressed upon these authorities that the schools’ notice for annual fee payment for November-March period is legally not sustainable,” it said. — PTI

For Nov-Mar period
The annual exams held in October and November will be held in March as J&K’s exam calender has been aligned with that of rest of the country. Schools had sought annual fee for November-March period.