Panchkula: Parents stage protest in opposition to ‘140% fee hike’ at Bhavan Vidyalaya

Several mother and father held a protest exterior Bhavan Vidyalaya in Sector 15 of Panchkula on Thursday, in opposition to the college’s determination to hike its annual payment. They alleged that the college’s tuition payment has been elevated by 140 per cent for the yr 2021-22.
Senior Congress leaders in Panchkula, similar to former Deputy CM Chander Mohan and Upinder Kaur Ahluwalia- who just lately misplaced the MC Mayoral elections to her BJP counterpart Kulbhushan Goyal, additionally reached the spot and prolonged their solidarity to the protesters. Mayor Kulbhushan Goyal is without doubt one of the trustee members of Bhavan Vidyalaya.
140 per cent improve in tuition payment
Parents, whose wards research at Bhavan Vidyalaya, allege that earlier the college used to cost about Rs 2,500 per thirty days as tuition payment, which has been elevated to Rs 5,500 — that provides as much as Rs 66,000 per yr.
The faculty, in its protection, despatched a discover to the mother and father, stating that the college charged a complete payment of Rs 60,400 in 2019-20 and it has been elevated by 8-10 per cent “as regular increment for supporting the cost of living, calculated on fee structure followed during 2019-20 as base year”.
However, mother and father say that the tutoring payment was Rs 28,800 for 2019-20, with different further costs aggregating to a complete of Rs 31,600.
Row over further costs
Bhavan Vidyalaya, citing an order by the Supreme Court, has determined to cost the overall payment together with the quantity clubbed beneath further bills– for transportation and upkeep, amongst others– amounting to Rs 31,800.
In a discover to the mother and father, the college stated, “Recently, the Supreme Court in its order has allowed the schools to charge the fee notified in session 2019-20 and has also permitted schools to collect the arrears in six monthly installments (from March to August 2021).”
The faculty has additionally denied to situation a Transfer Certificate (TC) to college students if their dues usually are not cleared. Naveen Kumar, whose daughter research in school V, stated, “I have been trying to get a TC issued since March, to move my daughter to another school. We could barely afford the fee earlier but the hiked amount with added expenses comes to a total of Rs 75,000 yearly. At this rate, I do not think I will be able to afford my daughter a private education.”
As per Naveen, he has been requested to clear the dues for the TC.

Congress comes out in assist
Local Congress leaders got here out in assist of the protesting college students and oldsters. Upinder Kaur, chatting with The Indian Express, took a jibe on the ‘beti padhao, beti bachao’ motion of the BJP and stated, “On one hand you talk about educating our daughters and youth, while on the other you make education practically non-affordable for most. The BJP workers and leaders, including Kulbhushan Goyal the Mayor are the ones in charge of eluding all kinds of transparency as they club all heads of fee being charged – against government norms- and hike the fee to three quarters of lakh per month.”

Chander Mohan stated that he wouldn’t enable looting within the identify of training. “With no definitive treatment of this epidemic till now, everyone’s life is at risk. This virus is also spreading like wildfire and parents have had to make many kinds of compromises to earn their livelihood. The school has remained inefficient in teaching the wards. The principal along with almost 12-15 staff members themselves remain infected. What is the fee being charged for?” he stated.
Several Congress councillors of the town additionally marked their attendance on the protest on Thursday.