In a significant move that brings relief to countless parents, the Karnataka Department of School Education and Literacy has issued a strict directive requiring private school principals to process and issue transfer certificates (TCs) within 15 days of receiving an application. This decision aims to resolve a long-standing grievance among parents but has sparked a fresh debate between parent associations and school managements.
New TC Rules and Legal Consequences
The department's circular, dated November 20, clearly states that issuing TCs within the 15-day timeframe is a primary responsibility of school principals. This directive aligns with the Right to Free and Compulsory Education Act, 2009, ensuring students' educational rights are protected.
Should a principal fail to comply with this regulation, parents have been instructed to escalate the matter to their block education officer. The officer will then allow the school one additional week to resolve the issue before taking necessary action. The circular explicitly warns that failure to issue transfer certificates within the stipulated time will lead to action under Section 106(2)(b) of the Karnataka Education Act, 1983.
This section prescribes serious penalties, including imprisonment extending up to six months, a fine of Rs 2,000, or both. This legal backing gives substantial weight to the new directive, making compliance mandatory for all private aided and unaided schools across the state.
Parental Relief and Ongoing Fee Disputes
The education department's intervention comes in response to growing concerns about students facing unnecessary delays in obtaining TCs from private institutions. According to Shashidhar SK, chairman of the Karnataka State Commission for Protection of Child Rights, approximately 20 such cases have been registered this year alone.
While parents welcome the streamlined TC process, they highlight that the fee refund issue remains unresolved. Mohammed Shakeel, president of Voice of Parents, explained the persistent problem: "Many private schools set a TC application deadline, typically in January. If parents apply after this date, schools demand next year's fees. Even when students seek transfers mid-session, schools refuse to refund tuition fees on a pro-rata basis."
School Managements' Concerns About Fee Defaults
Private school associations have expressed reservations about the new regulation, fearing it might encourage irresponsible behavior among some parents. D Shashi Kumar, general secretary of the Association of Managements of Primary and Secondary Schools of Karnataka, voiced these concerns: "This circular could potentially lead to deliberate defaults on fee payments. Parents should clear all pending dues before applying for transfer certificates."
The association believes that without proper safeguards, the rule might enable "school-hopping" where parents withdraw children without settling financial obligations.
This development represents a crucial step toward protecting students' educational mobility while highlighting the ongoing tension between parental rights and institutional concerns in Karnataka's private education sector.
