Schools seek for ₹1L-₹25L deposits: Plaint

As admissions for the next academic year have begun, schools in Mumbai are demanding “deposits” ranging from ₹1 lakh to ₹25 lakh from parents, reveals a complaint

As admissions for the next academic year have begun, schools in Mumbai are demanding “deposits” ranging from ₹1 lakh to ₹25 lakh from parents, reveals a complaint by a students’ organisation affiliated to a political party to the deputy director of education for Mumbai region.

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Members of the Maharashtra Navnirman Vidyarthi Sena (MNVS) alleged that many parents were compelled to shell out ₹1 lakh to ₹25 lakh as “deposits” at the time of admissions. “Schools are asking parents to pay the deposit amount at the time of admissions which many cannot afford to pay. They are thus compelled to take loans as they do not want their child to lose the seat,” said Chetan Pednekar, vice-president, MNVS. The organisation has written to the deputy director of education on their behalf.

“While the cases of donations during admissions have gone down after multiple complaints , schools have now resorted to another way of extorting money,” read the complaint.

Rajendra Ahire, deputy director of education, Mumbai region, said, “We have acknowledged the complaint and have instructed education inspectors in respective areas to take action against schools found flouting the norms,” he added.

A parent, who was asked to pay a security deposit by a Kandivli school, said, “We were asked to pay ₹2 lakh as deposit. The school staff told us that all the money will be returned once the child leaves the school. But why keep such a huge amount for so many years?”

As per the provisions under the Maharashtra Educational Institutions Regulation of Fees Act, 2011, admission fees at a school cannot be more than one month of tuition fee.