Srinagar: Despite clear-cut government directions, some private schools in Jammu and Kashmir have increased fees arbitrarily, drawing criticism from parents and raising questions over the enforcement of regulations.
The issue has surfaced even as the government recently reiterated in the Assembly that no private school can fix, collect, or increase fees without prior approval from the Fee Fixation and Regulation Committee (FFRC).
The development is significant as it highlights a gap between policy and implementation, with concerns growing over profiteering and a lack of strict oversight in the private education sector.
Parents in parts of Srinagar and other areas have reported sudden increases in tuition and additional charges at the start of the new academic session.
“They increased the fee without any explanation. We were not informed about any approval,” said a parent in Srinagar, alleging that the hike was imposed abruptly.
In its official reply in the Assembly, Education Minister Sakina Itoo had said that an audit-based mechanism is in place under the Jammu and Kashmir School Education Act, 2022, to regulate private school fees and prevent commercialization.
“No private school can fix, collect, or increase any fee without the prior formal approval of the FFRC,” the government said, stressing that compliance is mandatory.
Officials said fee structures are determined based on financial audits, taking into account factors such as infrastructure, expenditure, and reasonable surplus required for institutional growth.
However, parents said the ground reality appears different, with some institutions allegedly bypassing the regulatory process.
“There is no clarity on whether these schools have received approval or not. Authorities should make it public,” another parent said.
Officials in the Education Department said regulation of private school fees falls within the mandate of the Fee Fixation and Regulation Committee. However, parents alleged that the committee largely acts only upon receiving formal complaints and does not proactively take cognizance of issues highlighted in the media.
“There is no mechanism where the committee takes suo motu notice. Everything is left to parents to complain,” a parent said.
Another parent alleged that filing complaints can lead to unintended consequences. “Whenever someone complains, the committee highlights the identity and credentials of the complainants, and as a result, their wards face problems in the school,” the parent said.
Officials said fee structures are determined based on financial audits, taking into account factors such as infrastructure, expenditure, and reasonable surplus required for institutional growth.
However, parents said the ground reality appears different, with some institutions allegedly bypassing the regulatory process.
“There is no clarity on whether these schools have received approval or not. Authorities should make it public,” another parent said.
The issue of private school fees has remained a recurring concern in Jammu and Kashmir, with periodic complaints from parents about arbitrary hikes and lack of accountability. [KNT]
