The new academic session in Central Board of Secondary Education (CBSE) affiliated schools has started even though the issue of school fees in over 450 schools remains unresolved. This has left parents grappling with financial uncertainties. In the Ahmedabad zone alone, approximately 700 schools have proposed a fee hike, further exacerbating pressure on parents.
Despite the establishment of a Fee Committee tasked with regulating the fees in private schools in the state, delay in finalising the fee has led to a situation where schools are imposing exorbitant fees. This delay is particularly problematic as schools typically collect one or two-quarters of fees in advance before the Fee Regulation Committee (FRC) sets the final fee structure.
The state had passed the Fee Regulation Bill to address the issue of private schools charging exorbitant fees culminating in the formation of a fee committee to determine the fee. However, the committee’s delay in issuing fee orders has allowed schools to to charge higher fees.
For the 2024–25 academic year approximately 700 schools in the Ahmedabad zone have submitted proposals for fee hikes of which the process to finalise the fee for over 450 schools remains pending.
This discrepancy in delay in fixing the fee before the commencement of the academic year has resulted in a situation where parents are forced to pay whatever the school charges.