Your kid’s admission fees just hit the roof

Despite the tall promises made by the state education minister, Rajendra Darda, to enforce the Maharashtra Educational Institutions (Regulations of Collection of Fee) Act, 2011; several schools in the city have increased their admission fees for the academic session 2012-13.

While the school authorities preferred not to comment on the issue, parents were a harassed lot. Rahul Kitadikar, a parent, said, “I tried several schools in my vicinity, but the high fee structure everywhere has upset me.” Rahul lives on Baner Road where schools are charging nearly Rs1 lakh for nursery admissions.

Ginnin Gujral, administrative co-ordinator of Akshara International School, said, “The parents have to pay Rs74,700 as fee for nursery. The fee includes everything, from school uniform (PT and regular uniform), books, stationery, breakfast and lunch. This fee is for day school. We don’t take any deposits at our school,” she said.

Orchid School, Baner, has displayed the fee structure for nursery on its website. The fee is Rs50,000, which is to be paid in four instalments, while they charge another Rs50,000 as a one-time admission fee, which is mandatory. The school’s director, Lakshmi Kumar, said that they have not made any changes in the fee structure for the last two years.

St Mary’s School in Camp charges a total fee of Rs45,000. Parents have to pay Rs27,000 in the first semester, and the rest for the second semester.

A well-known school in Nigdi charges Rs15,000 as non-refundable amount. Apart from that, a reputed school from Aundh has increased its non-refundable amount from Rs5,000 last year to Rs10,000 this year.

Seva Sadan in Kothrud charges Rs36,000 for nursery admissions. The fee includes non-refundable amount, tuition fee, admission fee and other miscellaneous charges. It doesn’t include uniform or books, said Seema Chitgopikar, a parent.

However, Avani Gokhale, another parent, said that last year the school had charged Rs30,000 for nursery admissions. This year, they increased it by Rs6,000. It includes gathering fee, tuition fee, stationery items and books, but parents have to pay separately for uniform.

“I had paid Rs5,000 as school fee for my son at Blue Heaven Nursery in Katraj. Now, the school has increased the fee and I have to pay Rs20,000 to get my daughter admitted in nursery,” said Shyam Doiphode.

He also said that many schools in the vicinity have increased the fees this year.

Sunil More said, “P Jog English Medium School on Sinhagad Road has increased its fee for nursery from Rs10,000 to Rs25,000 this year. Actually, they are not clear on the matter whether this Rs25,000 will include uniform, stationery, books and other school related items,” he said.