The Karnataka government has directed private unaided schools not to enhance the fees for the academic year 2020-21. In a circular issued on Friday, the government warned of action if schools increased the tuition fee.

The circular stated that the government received numerous requests from parents of children studying in private unaided educational institutions not to hike fees because of the financial crisis resulting out of the COVID 19 pandemic.

D. Shashi Kumar, general secretary of the Associated Managements of Primary and Secondary Schools in Karnataka said the government issued the clarification because some schools had increased the fees. “The government had said earlier that no fees should be increased this year. But some schools increased the fees, which is not acceptable during this time,” he added.