Excelsior Correspondent
JAMMU, Oct 4: A meeting of J&K Private Schools Association (JKPSA), Jammu was held today to address concerns over the significant delay in the fixation and regulation of fees by the Fee Fixation and Regulation Committee (FFRC) for private schools in the region.
The meeting included key members of the Association, including president Ajay Gupta, senior vice president Deepak Handa, vice president Ajay Singh and publicity secretary Gaurav Charak.
The Association raised alarm over the backlog of over 433 pending cases related to fee review, enhancement, regulation, or fixation, which have been unresolved since March 26, 2024. The Association noted that private schools have paid processing fees ranging from Rs 3,000 to Rs 10,000 to the FFRC’s designated J&K Bank account for the processing of these cases. The delay, despite the collection of substantial processing fees, has cast a shadow over the transparency and efficiency of the committee, they claimed.
Ajay Gupta informed the Association members that the issue has been brought to the attention of relevant officials. He urged the Government to establish an upper limit on school fees to ensure they align with the paying capacity of families, factoring in regional topography and geographical conditions.
The Association also proposed that, as per Section 20(C) of the School Education Act 2002, the Government should delegate regulatory powers to the FFRC Chairperson to oversee fees for smaller schools. This delegation would expedite pending cases by allowing the Chairperson to act within Government-fixed parameters. Additionally, the Association called for the introduction of penalties for officials found deliberately delaying case resolutions.
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