Chandigarh allows private schools to give 15 pc fee waiver

Naina Mishra

Chandigarh, March 4

Chandigarh Administration has allowed private schools to give a concession of 15 per cent in fee for the 2020-21 session on the ground of non-utilisation of facilities by students.

However, it has been made clear that school managements can give further concession to their students or may evolve a different pattern for concession over and above 15 per cent of the fee.

“The school management should not debar any student from attending either online classes or physical classes on account of non-payment of fees, arrears or outstanding fees and shall not withhold the results of the examination of any student on that account,” read the orders by the Department of School Education.

Further, if any individual request is made by the parent finding it difficult to remit annual fees for the academic year 2020-21, the school management has been directed to consider such representations on a case-to-case basic sympathetically.

The department clarified that the school management would not withhold the name of any student or candidate for board examinations for classes X and XII on the ground of non-payment of fee for the academic year 2020-21.

It will be open to school management to initiate appropriate action for recovery of the outstanding amount in accordance with the law and there is no bar to recover the outstanding amount. However, if any parent requests some indulgence for just reasons, it will be open to school to consider such request on compassionate grounds.

Meanwhile, Chandigarh has also withdrawn its orders published in June 2020 directing all private schools to charge only tuition fee and not to increase any fee during the academic year 2020-21 without the approval of the Administration.

Nitin Goyal, president of the Chandigarh Parents’ Association, said even though the relief in school fees had come too late, they welcomed the order of the Administration directing the private schools to provide 15% reduction in lieu of the unutilised facilities by the students during 2020-21. The Administration should extend the relief for 2021-22 too, since the schools remained closed for most part of this session too. Since most of the parents have already paid full fee, the schools must refund the excess fee to them.

Managements can give further concession

It has been made clear that school managements can give further concession to their students or may evolve a different pattern for concession over and above 15 per cent of the fee.