Gautam Budh Nagar: Admin cracks whip on private schools violating fee norms

Notices will be issued to schools that have charged beyond the permissible fee increase limit, and the excess amount must be refunded to students immediately

GREATER NOIDA: The Gautam Budh Nagar district administration on Friday issued directions to ensure private schools comply with the rules under the Uttar Pradesh Self-Financed Independent Schools (Fee Regulation) Act, 2018, as it issued notices to three schools and fined 76 schools ₹1 lakh each for failing to submit any detail about fee revisions.

76 schools that failed to submit any details of fee revisions also came under scrutiny. The DM ordered a fine of ₹1 lakh be imposed on each of them under relevant sections of the 2018 Act. (HT File Photo)

“Private schools cannot compel parents to purchase uniforms, shoes, books, or other items from specific vendors. Strict action will be taken against any school found doing so. Notices will be issued to schools that have charged beyond the permissible fee increase limit, and the excess amount must be refunded to students immediately,” said district magistrate (DM) Manish Kumar Verma during a review meeting of the District Fee Regulatory Committee held at the Collectorate.

District Inspector of Schools (DIOS), Gautam Budh Nagar, Dharamveer Singh said that three institutions were found to have collected fees exceeding the permissible limit of 5% plus the Consumer Price Index (CPI) after which, the DM directed that these schools be issued notices, asking for a written explanation within a week.

Meanwhile, 76 schools that failed to submit any details of fee revisions also came under scrutiny. The DM ordered a fine of ₹1 lakh be imposed on each of them under relevant sections of the 2018 Act. Notices will also be sent to the school administrators, demanding explanations, officials said.

“Out of 144 schools that submitted their fee hike details, three schools, located in Sector 37, Noida, Milk Litchi and Sector 158 – have charged more than the allowed limit. Notices are being issued to these schools, and they are required to respond within a week,” the DIOS added.

“The decision of imposing penalties on 76 private schools is a welcome move. It offers much-needed relief to parents who have long been at the receiving end of arbitrary fee hikes and forced purchases. This is the first major action against schools after nearly two years. However, it’s concerning that parents never received any updates about the fines imposed earlier, which had left them disheartened and disappointed with the administration”, said Manoj Kataria, founder, Gautam Budh Nagar Parents Welfare Society (GPWS)