GUWAHATI: In a move that would provide succour to parents/guardians of students, the Assam education department has fixed the fee structure of non-government educational institutes in the state for the academic year 2021-22.
A notification issued by the principal secretary of elementary and secondary education here stated that from the academic year 2021-22, the total annual fee of students in the pre-primary stage up to Class 5 has been fixed at Rs 27,000 while the total annual fee of students in Classes 6 to 10 has been limited to Rs 32,000.
Guardians of students studying in Classes XI and XII (Science) will have to pay Rs 37,000; Rs 32,000 (Arts), Rs 33,000 (Commerce) and Rs 35,000 (other streams) annually.
“The total fee includes admission fee, tuition fee, building or infrastructure development fee, sports/cultural fee, etc., but does not include transportation fee,” the notification stated.
Under the provisions of the Assam Non Government Educational Institutions (Regulation of Fees) Act, 2018, the state education department is empowered to levy fines and initiate punitive measures, including withdrawal of registration, and also affiliation, in the event of contravention of the rates specified by the department.
The notification further states that if any non-government (private) school charges less than the amount fixed by the department, they would be exempted from the fee determination but will have to obtain the exemption certificate from the Fee Regulatory Committee.
However, if any school charges more than the amount fixed, they would be required to submit proposals for approval and fixation of fees in accordance with the provisions of the Assam Non Government Educational Institutions (Regulation of Fees) Act, 2018.
Section 15 of the Act states that in the event of contravention of the rates fixed by the department, the schools concerned will have to pay fines up to Rs 5 lakh for the first contravention, up to Rs 10 lakh for the second contravention.
In case of the third contravention, their registration/affiliation/NOC (no objection certificates) would be cancelled or withdrawn under provisions of the Act.