Chandigarh schools given fourth deadline extension to upload their balance sheets online

As many as 51 private unaided schools of Chandigarh were issued show-cause notices for mass non-compliance of the Punjab Regulation of Fee of Unaided Educational Institutions Act, 2016, on May 26

After issuing show-cause notices to 51 schools in Chandigarh for not uploading their balance sheets on their websites, the education department on Monday gave the schools 15 more days to put up their financial details online. This is the fourth extension of the deadline; meanwhile, no school has been penalised for non-compliance.

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This was decided during the first meeting in two years of the fee regulatory body of Chandigarh held on Monday, director of school education Rubinderjit Singh Brar confirmed.

The body also decided they will seek self-attested affidavits from hundreds of parents who had filed complaints with them before acknowledging their objections.

As many as 51 private unaided schools of Chandigarh were issued show-cause notices for mass non-compliance of the Punjab Regulation of Fee of Unaided Educational Institutions Act, 2016, on May 26. The schools were given seven working days to reply which were reviewed by the committee on Monday.

As per the Act, which was notified in Chandigarh in 2018, if a school contravenes the provisions, it shall be punishable with a fine between Rs 60,000 to Rs 4 lakh depending on the number of violations and level of school (primary, middle, secondary).

The Act also makes it mandatory for the fee regulatory body to scrutinise complaints within 15 days of receipt while ensuring the final decision is made within 60 days.

Anamika Vohra, whose son studies in St Joseph School, Sector 44, said, “Over 200 people have signed the complaint submitted to the fee regulatory body. All of us were signatories while Monica, a practising advocate at Punjab and Haryana High Court has submitted an affidavit. Now they want an affidavit from over 270 parents?”

“Schools have been given time till June 30 to upload their balance sheets. Either they will comply or send us a reply which will be verified by district education officer (DEO),” Brar said.

When asked why no school was penalised, Brar said, “The committee was of the view that schools should be given more time. Also, the schools have challenged this provision in the Punjab and Haryana HC which will be heard on Tuesday.”

Multiple complaints have also been filed by the parents with the fee regulatory body according to which schools were charging hiked consolidated fees instead of tuition fees of last academic session, in violation of the UT education department’s order.

UT education secretary Arun Kumar Gupta refused to entertain any queries.