Govt okays Blue Bells school fee hike, parents cry foul

The additional chief secretary ruled that the school has submitted the Form 6 ( pertaining to details of the fee structure) on time and there was no intentional delay in its submission.

The additional chief secretary (ACS), school education, Haryana, on Friday okayed the fee hike executed by Blue Bells School, Gurgaon.

The ruling has upset parents who have been protesting against the ‘arbitrary’ hike for the last 10 months. (HT Photo)

He ruled that the school has submitted the Form 6 ( pertaining to details of the fee structure) on time and there was no intentional delay in its submission. The ruling has upset parents who have been protesting against the ‘arbitrary’ hike for the last 10 months.

ACS KK Khandelwal ruled that a slight delay happened due to a fault in the online portal and the fee charged by the school was as per the details mentioned
in Form 6.

Parents alleged that they were provided a copy of the November 8 order only on November 23 with a view to ensure that they don’t appeal against it.

“After considering the opinion of the parties and examining the relevant record, I am of the opinion that a slight delay in submission of Form 6 by the appellant school does not seem to be intentional, hence, the same is not material. The order passed by the fee and fund regulatory committee (FFRC) is largely based upon the delay in submission of Form 6 by the appellant society which is not sustainable in the eye of law. Thus, the orders passed by FFRC are hereby set aside. The appeal of the appellant school is allowed in the aforesaid terms (sic),” the order issued by the ACS on November 11 said.

Parents said they received a copy of the order only recently. The ACS has set aside the previous order of divisional commissioner D Suresh who had termed the fee hike for the current year as invalid and against law. The hearing on the case was held at the office of the ACS in Panchkula on November 8, a parent said.

“Divisional commissioner D Suresh had passed an order on July 31, in line with Haryana State Education rules after conducting a due audit in the matter. It was found that the school had not submitted Form 6 within the stipulated time, thereby violating the state education rule 158A. The order found the school ineligible to make any fee hike in the current session,” Sameer Nasa, a parent, said.

Yash Pal Kalra, another parent, said they were surprised by the ACS terming the delay “slight” when the timeline is clearly mentioned in rule 158A.

School authorities were delighted with the recent order.

“We are thankful to the ACS for giving us justice,” said Suman Gulati, director, Blue Bells Group of Schools.