Riyaz Bhat
Srinagar, Sep 18: The government on Friday asked the private educational institutions of Jammu and Kashmir not to charge any admission fee from the students.
In an order, a copy of which lies with the news agency—Kashmir News Observer (KNO), principal secretary to the government for school educational department and skill Development, Asgar Samoon also asked the private educational institutions to refund the amount to the parents which was collected by the management from November 2019 till date.
“The Fee Fixation Committee (FFC) was mandated to regulate the fee structure in private educational institutions in J&K and the committee has ordered inter-alia that private schools shall only charge tuition fee, annual fee, transport fee, voluntary special purpose fee or any other fee as may be approved by the FFC after following the due procedures. But shall not charge, in any manner, any other fee including admission fee,” the order reads.
The order further states that the FFC requested that the private educational institution be directed not to charge admission fees in violation of the government and court orders.
“By virtue of Jammu and Kashmir Reorganization Act 2019, the Right of Children to free and compulsory education Act, 2009 (Act) has been made applicable to the UT of J&K. No school or person while admitting a child, collects any capitation fee and subjects the child or his or her parents or guardian to screening procedure,” the order reads.
The order also states that any school or person, if in contravention of the provisions of sub-section (1) receives capitation fee, shall be punishable with fine, which may extend to ten times from the capitation fee charged.
“To subject a child to screening procedure, shall be punishable with fine which may extend to twenty five thousands rupee for the first contravention and fifty thousand rupees for each subsequent contraventions,” it reads.
“It is hereby ordered that no private school or person while admitting a child shall collect any admission fee from any child or his or her parents or guardians and such fee and if already collected in violation of the Right of Children to Free and Compulsory Education Act 2009 from the date of its applicability—that is from 31.10.2019 shall be refunded with immediate effect otherwise action under section 13 of the ACT shall be initiated forthwith,” reads the order—(KNO)
