Question : IRREGULARITIES IN PRIVATE SCHOOLS

(a) whether complaints regarding Government recognized private schools charging exorbitant admission fees indirectly under various heads such as charges for admission forms, registration fees etc. and also committing other irregularities have come to the notice of the Government;

(b) if so, the details of such complaints received during each of the last three years and the current year, State- wise, alongwith the nature of such complaints;

(c) the action taken/being taken in such cases;

(d) whether the Government has laid down any provisions/norms in this regard;

(e) if so, the details thereof;

(f) whether the Government is contemplating to formulate a new law to stop irregularities of every kind in school education; and

(g) if so, the details thereof?

MINISTER OF HUMAN RESOURCE DEVELOPMENT (Dr. D. PURANDESWARI)

(a): Central Board of Secondary Education (CBSE) receives such complaints and appropriate action in accordance with affiliation Bye-Laws are taken against the violating schools.

(b) & (c): 88 complaints were received from various states during the last three years i.e. 2008, 2009 and 2010. 45 complaints are received during the current year, details of which are given in Annexure I.

These complaints generally pertain to irregularities committed by schools in admission, recruitment of teachers, private tuition by teachers, non- payment of salary of teachers etc. These are referred to concerned school for comments. After receiving comments action is taken in accordance with Affiliation Bye-Laws.

(d) & (e): Central Board of Secondary Education (CBSE) Affiliation Bye-Laws inter-alia prescribe the following:-

# Fee charges of a school affiliated with CBSE should be commensurate with the facilities provided by the institution.

# Fees should normally be charged under the Heads prescribed by the Department of Education of the State/UT for schools of different categories.

# No capitation fee or voluntary donations for gaining admission in the school or for any other purpose should be charged/collected in the name of the school.

# In case a student leaves the school for such compulsion as transfer of parents or for health reason or in case of death of the student before completion of the session, pro-rata return of quarterly/term/annual fees should be made.

# The unaided schools should consult parents through parents representatives before revising the fees. The fee should not be revised during the mid-session.

CBSE issues Guidelines and Circulars to its affiliated schools from time to time for strict adherence of affiliation Bye-Laws.

(f) & (g) No such proposal is under consideration.