2 days ago
Sambhajinagar ZP education department warns schools against illegal fee collection
Chhatrapati Sambhajinagar: In a move aimed at curbing the financial exploitation of parents, the zilla parishad's education department issued a circular earlier this month warning all aided, unaided, and self-financed schools in the district against collecting unjustified or unapproved fees.
Schools were told that violations would result in strict action, including the suspension of non-salary grants.
The circular, issued earlier this month and signed by the district's secondary education officer, Ashwini Lathkar, followed a memorandum submitted on July 24 by Sachin Nikam, the Marathwada regional president of the Republican Vidyarthi Sena.
Nikam alleged that several aided primary and secondary schools in Chhatrapati Sambhajinagar city were demanding various fees from parents without any govt sanction.
These included building fund, development fund, laboratory fee, sports fee, medical fee, admission fee, and examination fee, among others.
Calling the practice "a serious matter," the letter reminded school principals that the Right of Children to Free and Compulsory Education Act, 2009 — in force since 2010 — was designed to remove barriers in children's education and ensure quality schooling for all students aged six to 14.
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The department reiterated key provisions of the Act, including section 4 on age-appropriate admission, s14 on proof of age, section 15 prohibiting refusal of admission, and section 16 barring detention or expulsion of students.
The education officer stressed that all aided schools must display a board at their entrance clearly stating that the institution does not charge any extra fees beyond what is permitted under govt rules.
Any school found violating this directive risks immediate suspension of non-salary grants. Additionally, fees not approved by the executive committee of the parent-teacher association can be deemed illegal.
To enforce compliance, the department will soon form inspection squads to visit schools and verify that no unapproved fees are being collected. Principals have been instructed to immediately stop any fee collection beyond the approved structure and to ensure adherence to the Maharashtra Educational Institutions (Regulation of Fee) Act, 2011.
The letter also cautioned against practices such as denying admission, refusing transfer certificates, preventing students from appearing for examinations, or barring them from classes — warning that such actions constitute violations under the RTE Act and could attract departmental action.
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