Srinagar, Oct 13: The Committee for Fixation and Regulation of Fee (FFRC) for private schools Thursday said some other big schools were allegedly charging and collecting huge amounts in cash from the parents at the time of giving admission to their wards in their schools.
Chairperson of FFRC Justice (Retd) Muzaffar Hussain Attar said, “The schools that have charged and collected money beyond the prescribed fee are directed to forthwith return such money to the parents or the students.”
In an order issued by Attar said, “The FFRC is informed that some other big schools are allegedly charging and collecting huge amounts in cash from the parents at the time of giving admission to their wards in their schools.”
He said, “In the times of unequal bargaining position, few school managements are taking undue advantage of their higher bargaining position by allegedly asking the students for payment of huge amounts in the name of security deposit, refundable fund and in some cases as admission fee as well.”
The Committee further said that the most of the parents who constitute a voice-less class in the hope of securing admission in few big schools, cave-in to the illegal, unethical and immoral demands of these few school managements. “Adopting this most unfair practice has the potential of causing immense damage to social fabric.”
“On the one hand, the children of lesser mortals lose opportunity to compete in an otherwise harsh world, and on the other hand, some persons, amongst those, who pay huge amounts at the time of admission of their wards in these few schools, must be arranging such money through illegal means,” reads the order.
“In view of the legal position, the schools more particularly those few big schools who are demanding money from the parents beyond the fee as is delineated by Section -20 E (1) of the Jammu and Kashmir School Education Act 2OO2 (amended), are restrained and prohibited from charging and collecting fee beyond the fee prescribed by Section-20 E (1), more particularly are restrained and prohibited from charging and collecting money from the parents or the students in the name of security deposits, refundable fee or money by whatever name called,” FFRC said.
