Haryana links school fee hikes to CPI, sets formula
Representative Image. GURGAON: The Haryana government has amended the state’s education rules and linked the hike in private school fees with the national consumer price index (CPI). The move, officials said, is intended at putting a cap on "arbitrary" fee hikes by some private schools, amid appeals from parents for an intervention.
A notice issued on Wednesday by the additional chief secretary of the school education department said that the governor had agreed to amend the Haryana Education Rules, 2003. According to the new rules, schools that want to raise annual fees would have to follow a formula. The maximum hike a school can charge is 5% over the CPI.
The state, however, has made an exception for budget private schools. Those charging Rs 12,000 or less per annum for up to Class V and schools whose maximum fee for classes 6 to 12 is Rs 15,000 or less have been exempted from the cap.
Officials said the new fee structure would come into effect from the next academic session. Schools that don’t follow the fee formula could be fined Rs 2 lakh and might lose their licence too, the officials said. The need to revise the fee structure was felt after the Fee and Fund Regulation Committee (FFRC) was flooded with complaints from parents about fee hikes. The FFRC had, sources said, pleaded inability to take any action against the schools in the absence of a clear-cut fee structure under the Rules.
“School fee had become a pressing issue during the pandemic. There were several complaints against a few private schools. The FFRC couldn’t take any action because of the limitations of the previous rules. So, we had been contemplating amending the rules to put a definitive cap on the fee structure. It has been done keeping in mind the interest of both parents and schools,” said J Ganesan, the director of secondary education.
The amended rules also specify that no recognised school should change its uniform before five consecutive academic years. And no student can be compelled to buy books, stationery, shoes, socks, uniform, etc only from shops recommended by the schools.
“The formula is flawed,” said Col Pratap Singh (retd), the district president of the Haryana Progressive Schools’ Conference. “In order to maintain the quality of education that schools provide, the hike has to be in the range of 12% to 15%. But with this formula, the hike will always remain under 8% to 9%. This will greatly impact the new schools that need the capital to establish themselves. If the government wanted to cap the fee hike, they should have reduced the taxes for the schools,” he added.
A notice issued on Wednesday by the additional chief secretary of the school education department said that the governor had agreed to amend the Haryana Education Rules, 2003. According to the new rules, schools that want to raise annual fees would have to follow a formula. The maximum hike a school can charge is 5% over the CPI.
For instance, if the CPI for that period is 4%, the hike can’t exceed 9% of the previous year’s fee (4% +5%). A recognised school may increase the fee chargeable under clause (i) of sub-rule (4), for its existing students by itself every year, equivalent to average percentage per capita increase of monthly salary of the teaching staff of the previous year, but the fee increase shall not exceed the latest available yearly percentage increase in consumer price index plus five percent,” read the government notification.
The state, however, has made an exception for budget private schools. Those charging Rs 12,000 or less per annum for up to Class V and schools whose maximum fee for classes 6 to 12 is Rs 15,000 or less have been exempted from the cap.
Officials said the new fee structure would come into effect from the next academic session. Schools that don’t follow the fee formula could be fined Rs 2 lakh and might lose their licence too, the officials said. The need to revise the fee structure was felt after the Fee and Fund Regulation Committee (FFRC) was flooded with complaints from parents about fee hikes. The FFRC had, sources said, pleaded inability to take any action against the schools in the absence of a clear-cut fee structure under the Rules.
“School fee had become a pressing issue during the pandemic. There were several complaints against a few private schools. The FFRC couldn’t take any action because of the limitations of the previous rules. So, we had been contemplating amending the rules to put a definitive cap on the fee structure. It has been done keeping in mind the interest of both parents and schools,” said J Ganesan, the director of secondary education.
The amended rules also specify that no recognised school should change its uniform before five consecutive academic years. And no student can be compelled to buy books, stationery, shoes, socks, uniform, etc only from shops recommended by the schools.
“The formula is flawed,” said Col Pratap Singh (retd), the district president of the Haryana Progressive Schools’ Conference. “In order to maintain the quality of education that schools provide, the hike has to be in the range of 12% to 15%. But with this formula, the hike will always remain under 8% to 9%. This will greatly impact the new schools that need the capital to establish themselves. If the government wanted to cap the fee hike, they should have reduced the taxes for the schools,” he added.
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