Parents file FIR against school for charging ‘capitation’ fee

The school said fees were being charged only after the Parent Teachers’ Association (PTA) gave its approval. Fr. Paul Julius,manager of the school,said,“We have not refunded the money because we have already answered the education department’s queries. They are following the matter with us.”

T M Dongre,education officer of north zone,said,“Now that an FIR has been registered,the police will investigate the matter. We too are probing. We will provide whatever details the police seek.”

According to the parent,the school had made it mandatory for children to buy these books at an exorbitant price. “Despite the June 15 order of the education department to refund the money,the school did not do so,” the parent said. “Instead,it put up a notice saying those students seeking refund will not be allowed to participate in school activities and or issued report cards,fee receipts and school circulars,” the parent said.

The Govandi police Saturday registered a complaint against the school management under sections 7A and 7AA of the Prohibition of Capitation Fee Act (1987),under which collecting capitation fee is a cognisable and non-bailable offence with a provision of imprisonment up to two years and a fine.

In 2004,Forum for Fairness in Education had filed a PIL in the Bombay High Court,which had then ordered that no school would sell books,uniforms,shoes,stationary etc. in its premises or force parents to buy these items from a specific shop. “Following the court’s order,the state government had issued a GR on the same,” said Jayant Jain,the NGO’s president.

However,many schools continue to collect money under different heads,claiming that the facilities they provide do not come free. The principal of a school in Andheri said,“Many of us provide concessions to the needy. We are just charging for facilities we provide and to maintain a certain standard. This is not capitation fee. But parents use the capitation fee Act to harass school management.”

dipti.sonawala@expressindia.com