Three Lucknow schools adjust fees charged during pandemic year

Students who left the school and did not avail of 15% discount in fees, may visit the college office on a working day for a refund

Schools in Lucknow have begun adjusting 15% fees charged during the academic year 2020-21, in the last quarter of this session, following the high court and Supreme Court orders.

St Francis’ College is one of the three schools that has adjusted the fees charged from students (HT File Photo)

Three Catholic Schools of Lucknow – St Francis’ College, Cathedral Sr Secondary School and St Francis’ School – have adjusted 15% fees in the last quarter of the academic year. La Martiniere College, Lucknow, had taken the lead in giving refunds.

“We have made adjustments in the fees of the last quarter for all students as mandated by the high court and later by the Supreme Court,” said Rev Fr Rajesh Vincent Pinto, principal of St Francis’ College. He said that students who left the school and did not avail of the 15% discount in fees payable for the year 2020-21, may visit the college office on a working day for a refund of 15% of fees. They are required to produce the marksheet and transfer certificate copy and collect the cheque.

The principal of St Francis’ School in Gomti Nagar, Rev Fr Alwyn Madtha, said they have made all the adjustments in the last quarter and thousands of parents benefited from it. “We did it after the court directed schools to adjust the excess fees. Parents of many pass-outs have also collected the cheques from school,” he said.

Students who are no longer on the rolls of these institutions but who were studying there in 2020-2021 and did not avail of 15% discount in fees payable for the year 2020-21, may visit the College office on a working day for a refund of 15% of fees paid. This shall be refunded after verification of the amount, said Rev Fr Donald DeSouza, spokesperson of the Catholic Diocese of Lucknow.

Last year, the Supreme Court had issued directives related to fee refund, which has been reiterated by the High Court of Judicature at Allahabad. The government of Uttar Pradesh, through the district magistrate, Lucknow had issued orders to all educational institutions for the refund of 15% of fees paid by parents during the financial year 2020-2021.

The UP secondary education department passed an order, dated February 16, 2023, to all district magistrates to comply with the Allahabad high court order.