Capitation fee, donation 'no-no'

The Central Board of Secondary Education (CBSE) recently issued a circular to the schools affiliated to it to adhere to the rules set by the board to ensure that they do not charge exorbitant fees.

In a move to check the commercialisation of education, the circular states that the collection of capitation fees and donations is prohibited. The school heads must ensure that their schools adhere to the CBSE norms and a uniform fee structure.

The board has directed the schools to discuss any fee revision in the parent-teacher association (PTA) meetings before implementation. Similarly, the school premises should not be used for non-educational purposes.

The board has directed all its schools to follow the prescribed fee structure set by the state or Union territory concerned.

In case a student is leaving the school due to the transfer of a parent, health or other reasons then the school should return paid-up term fees on a pro-rata basis.

The circular has warned that any violation of the norms will lead to the school's disaffiliation.

Jayshree Venkatraman, the principal of city-based DAV Public School affiliated to the CBSE said, "The circular is aimed at ensuring that no school or parent is unduly penalised."

She said the board's inspection committees also visit schools if it receives complaints about violation of CBSE norms.

Welcoming the CBSE decision, the state education board officials said it is difficult to envisage the role of the state as it is soon to implement the Maharashtra Educational Institutions (Regulation of Collection of Fees) Act, 2011.