The Punjab State Commission for Scheduled Castes has issued strict instructions to the authorities concerned to penalise government and private educational institutions found illegally charging fee from students belonging to the Scheduled Castes. Rajesh Bagha, chairman of the commission, said on Thursday that it had come to their notice that some educational institutions had been illegally charging fee from SC students whose families' annual income is less than Rs. 2 lakh per annum.

He said written instructions had been issued to the authorities concerned to identify all such institutions and initiate punitive action.

Bagha said it had also been noticed that some of the institutions were not "behaving well" with SC students and employees. He appealed to all departmental heads of various institutions to ensure unbiased treatment with such students and employees.