Parents Say RP School Took Rs 25,000 Admission Fee Then Raised Annual Charges to Rs 11,000
Srinagar, Dec 11: Parents of children enrolled in RP School Lawaypora on the outskirts of Srinagar have accused the institution of forcing them to pay Rs 11,000 as annual charges for LKG students despite earlier assurances that the yearly fee would be minimal. The allegations have triggered anger among families who say they are facing humiliation and financial pressure at the hands of the private school that they had trusted with their children.
Parents told the news agency Kashmir News Trust that at the time of admission, they were categorically informed that the annual fee would be only Rs 2000. Many guardians said they agreed to pay a hefty Rs 25000 as an admission fee solely on the assurance that recurring charges would remain manageable. They said the government has repeatedly claimed that private schools cannot charge admission fees, yet RP School collected the amount and is now demanding Rs 11000 annually from families of little children.
One parent whose daughter studies in LKG described the fee demand as harsh. She said she has no option but to pay the money because the school refuses to issue fee receipts or allow continuation without the new charges. Parents said the sudden rise has come as a shock and that they feel cheated after trusting an institution that had promised transparency and affordability at the time of admission.
Repeated attempts by KNT to contact the school principal did not materialise. His phone remained switched off.
Parents questioned why the School Education Department and the Fee Fixation and Regulation Committee have failed to ensure compliance with their own norms. They said the absence of accountability has encouraged schools to impose arbitrary charges on families already struggling with rising living costs.
Guardians urged the government to initiate immediate action, verify fee structures and prevent institutions from exploiting parents in the name of annual charges and admission fees. They said RP School Lawaypora should be held answerable for violating guidelines and for the distress caused to families who had enrolled their wards in good faith. [KNT]
