The Ahmedabad City District Education Officer has taken strict action against a prominent private school in Navrangpura for allegedly charging students fees significantly higher than the officially approved amount. St Xavier's Loyola School now faces potential legal consequences for what authorities term as "arbitrary conduct" in fee collection.
Fee Dispute Escalates to Revision Committee
According to official records, the school had initially proposed an annual fee of Rs 39,360 per student before the fee committee. However, after thorough examination of the institution's expenditure patterns and financial records, the committee substantially reduced the approved amount to Rs 22,500. Despite this official directive, the school continued to collect fees at their originally proposed higher rate.
The school challenged this decision by filing an appeal before the revision committee, seeking approval for their preferred fee structure. Importantly, no stay order has been granted to the school by the revision committee that would permit them to charge the higher fees during the appeal process.
Massive Financial Implications for Parents
The financial impact of this fee discrepancy is substantial. The fee committee has calculated that the school collected approximately Rs 2 crore in excess fees from students. As an interim measure, authorities have directed the school to deposit this entire amount into a fixed deposit account until the matter is legally resolved.
The final disposition of these funds depends entirely on the revision committee's verdict. If the committee upholds the reduced fee structure, the entire FD amount will be refunded to the affected students and their parents. Conversely, if the committee rules in favor of the school's proposed higher fees, the amount will be adjusted accordingly in the institution's favor.
DEO Issues Ultimatum to School Management
The District Education Officer received credible information that despite the ongoing legal process and absence of any stay order, the school continued to collect the unapproved higher fees from students. This prompted the immediate issuance of a formal notice demanding clarification within seven days.
The notice specifically requires the school administration to provide:
- Complete details of students from whom fees were collected
- The exact amount charged from each student
- Copies of any orders permitting such fee collection
- Receipts issued to students as proof of payment
The DEO has made it clear that failure to comply with this notice within the stipulated timeframe will result in legal action being initiated against the school management. This case highlights the ongoing tension between private educational institutions and regulatory bodies regarding fee structures in Ahmedabad's educational landscape.
