DFRC cracks whip on private schools for arbitrarily hiking fees

Ghaziabad: The District Fee Regulation Committee (DFRC) constituted under the provisions of UP self financed independent schools fixation fee Act 2018 took up complaint of arbitrarily hiking fees against 14 schools. While one private school have been ordered to either adjust or refund excess fee it charged during academic session 2018-19, eleven schools have been asked to submit required documents with the committee failing which penalty under the provisions of the act will be imposed on them.

“It was found by the committee that Amity International School in Vasundhara’s sector 1 have hiked fee which was not in consonance with the provisions of UP self financed independent schools fixation fee Act 2018 , so the school have been asked to either refund or adjust excess fee it charged from students in the academic year 2018-19” said Ritu Maheshwari, district magistrate who also happens to be the chairperson of DFRC. “The refund or adjustment of excess fee will be between Rs 968 to Rs 2669 per students from standard 1 to 10” added Maeshwari.

The said school meanwhile confirmed that they have received DFRC’s order. “The committee’s order have been received by the school and the matter is being looked into” said Dr Savita Mehta, vice president, corporate communications, Amity International School.

Apart from this there are 11 schools to which the DFRC has asked to submit documents pertaining to fee hike within stipulated time.

On January 10 the DFRC had imposed a fine of Rs 1 lakh each on city’s three schools the DPS Indirapuram, Sun Valley International School, Vaishali and Seth Anandram Jaipuria School, Sector 14, Vasundhara. These schools were also barred from hiking fee in the next academic session. “These schools have not complied with the DFRC order under which they were given time till 10 February so the committee has now given them time till 19 February to ensure compliance” said Shivani Jain, President, All School Parents Association who is also a member of DFRC. “If the schools fail to comply by 19 February exercising powers vested in the committee the penalty will be hiked to Rs 5 lakh which could also extend to de-affiliation of schools” added Jain.

o rein in unaided private schools from arbitrarily hiking fee state government last year promulgated an Act-The UP self financed independent schools fixation fee Act 2018. A district level committee referred to as district fee regulation committee (DFRC) was also formed vested with the powers of civil court to decide on the issues related to fee hike.

The committee has the representation from all stake holders comprising of district magistrate as its chairperson, district inspector of schools as its secretary, a chartered accountant, account officer, two members from school, parents association and executive engineer from PWD.

Explaining the working of committee district inspector of schools Pankaj Pandey said as per the act there are two basic criteria which allows schools to hike fee. “By taking base year of 2105-16 either per capita salary hike of teachers or consumer price index of 5% either of which is lower side could be employed to hike salary” said Pankaj Pandey, DIOS. “The proposal to hike fee has to be placed in front of district fee regulation committee which will assess the validity of such hike and only after it gives its go ahead fee could be hiked” added Pandey.