Hadapsar-based Amanora School located at Amanora Park Town in Pune has expelled 486 students for protesting against ‘illegal’ fee hike, according to a statement released by the parents of these students. The school took the decision on Thursday after 150 parents along with their children took part in a protest. The parents claimed that the school collected fees ‘in an unauthorised’ way. The school issued a statement citing that expelled students can be reinstated if the requisite fees are paid.
Hemant Mittal, who took part in the protest, said, “The school demanded ₹85,000 as fees and, we found that apart from ₹49,950, the remaining was capitation fees which we will not pay. The school hikes fees every year. We met Vinod Tawde, state education minister, who promised to address the issue.”
Mittal said that the school issued a transfer certificate through post that parents received on Holi, and it led parents and children to stage protest.
Another parent, Dhiraj Geadam, said, “The school is mired in controversy. It has been charging admission fees at will and hikes it every year. It is known to manipulate accounts to misguide the government authorities. Even the formation of parent-teacher association (PTA) and executive parent-teacher association (EPTA) committee is questionable. The fee hike is decided by executive parent-teacher association which is formed comprising members who never question the school management.”
Geadam said that the parents approached the Hadapsar police station to register a complaint against the school, but the police authorities denied to file a report.
{{/usCountry}}Geadam said that the parents approached the Hadapsar police station to register a complaint against the school, but the police authorities denied to file a report.
{{/usCountry}}Sunil Tambe, the inspector at Hadapsar police station, could not be contacted for comment despite repeated attempts.
Meera Nair, school principal, shared a statement by her spokesperson of Amanora Knowledge Foundation, Vikram B Deshmukh, which stated, “Amanora Knowledge Foundation started the school with an intent to provide qualitative education and opportunities for overall development. The school in accordance to the act and rules followed the process for approval of school fees. The school formed the executive committee of Parent Teachers Association (PTA) in accordance to the prescribed provisions. The said committee resolved about fees to be charged for the academic year 2017-18, 2018-19. We informed all the parents to pay fees in accordance to the resolution made by the executive committee of PTA. We tried to resolve all the concerns of the parents and offered clearing doubts. However, despite requests to pay the school fees few parents failed to pay for the academic year 2017-18 and 2018-19 partially or fully. We have not deprived all these students of any facilities or initiatives of the school despite their parents not paying the school fees for the last two years. We ensured that all these students complete the academic year and no loss is caused to them on academic front. This non-payment was affecting the School’s financial health adversely hence we requested parents to make payments. We were left with no other option but to cancel admission of non-paying students as all our efforts went in vain. We as school will have no issues in reinstating the admission of these students if the fees is paid.”