Chennai: The directorate of school education has launched an enquiry into the differential fee structure proposed by the management of Bala Vidya Mandir (BVM), a CBSE school in south Chennai. The proposed differential fee structure has enraged hundreds of parents of students of the school who voiced strong opposition to it. Taking suo motu cognisance of the matter, the private schools fee determination committee chaired by Justice (retd) S.R. Singaravelu on Tuesday asked the directorate of school education to conduct an enquiry.
The joint director of school education, S. Karmegam, has been appointed as the enquiring officer. “Notices have been sent to all the parties involved, including the management, led by its managing trustee Ramana Prasad. After the enquiry is completed, the report would be sent to the chairman of the committee,” said director of school education, S. Kannappan. In its initial hearing of the complaint, lodged by parents last month, the committee had ordered the excess money to be returned.
However, to circumvent the committee’s direction, the school had sent circulars asking parents to choose between two options, with varying fee structures, viewed as extremely discriminatory in nature. For example, while Rs 35,800 has been fixed as the yearly amount for class 6-8 (varies according to class), parents opting to choose ‘Option 2’, with all facilities, are forced to pay more than double - about Rs 59,800.
Sources in the committee set up under the Tamil Nadu Schools (Regulation of Collection of Fee) Act, 2009, to set fees after considering all facilities provided, say the BVM issue is the first instance of a school attempting to charge students differentially. Acknowledging that the segregation of students by the management is despicable, the source added, “If the charges are found true, the committee has the power to recommend withdrawal of the school’s recognition.”
