More than 300 complaints regarding fee hikes in K'taka schools prompt action from Child Rights Panel
Bengaluru: The Karnataka State Commission for Protection of Child Rights (KSCPCR) has received numerous complaints this year from parents regarding abnormal fee hikes and unfair practices by several top private unaided schools in Bengaluru.
Most complaints relate to unjustified increases in school fees, lack of transparency in fee revisions, and pressure on parents to buy textbooks, uniforms, shoes, bags, and other materials from designated vendors. Following these complaints, the commission has issued notices to some of the schools, most of which are affiliated to the Central Board, Deccan Herald reported on Sunday.
Responding to the complaints, the commission has begun issuing notices. “We have received over 300 complaints this year and are taking action based on the seriousness of each case. On Wednesday, we issued notices to three schools run by a prestigious group in Central Bengaluru,” K. Naganna Gowda, chairperson of the commission, was quoted as saying by DH.
He added that the commission will write to the Commissioner for School Education to seek further action against institutions found violating provisions of the Right to Education (RTE) Act.
As per norms, private schools are allowed to increase fees by 10 to 12 percent annually. However, some schools have reportedly hiked fees by as much as 40 percent this year. "We have also registered a few suo motu complaints based on media reports about abnormal fee hikes. The government should take the issue of fee fixation seriously and monitor schools to determine the basis on which fees are being raised," Gowda said.
The commission is also reviewing complaints alleging that schools have harassed parents and punished children when requests were made for transfer certificates. In some cases, schools have reportedly withheld transfer certificates unless parents cleared the full year’s fees. Few complaints even allege instances of corporal punishment.
"We are verifying such cases, and if the allegations are proved during inquiry, we will recommend action as per the RTE Act," Gowda assured.
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Protest against demolition drive turns violent in Kolkata, 3 cops injured
Kolkata (PTI): A protest against the recent bulldozer action in Kolkata's Tiljala turned violent on Sunday as demonstrators hurled stones at police personnel in the minority-dominated Park Circus area, injuring at least three officials and damaging several vehicles.
The flare-up came days after bulldozers rolled into Tiljala as part of the West Bengal government's demolition drive against alleged illegal constructions following the factory fire that killed two persons earlier this week.
On Sunday afternoon, a large number of people gathered near Park Circus Seven Point Crossing to protest against the anti-encroachment drive and attempted to block roads, police said.
As police tried to disperse, what they described as an "unlawful assembly", a section of protesters allegedly resorted to stone-pelting, triggering chaos in the area.
Several vehicles parked along the roadside, including those carrying central forces, were vandalised, officials said.
Heavy deployment of Kolkata Police and central forces was made in the area after the clashes. Route marches and intensified patrolling were undertaken in adjoining localities to prevent further escalation and restore normalcy.
Kolkata Police Additional Commissioner Ashesh Biswas said action has already been initiated against those involved in the violence.
"Some people tried to block the road. It was an illegal gathering. The police were trying to disperse them, and there was pelting of stones. Three of our colleagues were injured," Biswas told reporters.
"We have already arrested a few people," he said.
The officer said police followed standard operating procedures, and efforts were underway to identify all those involved in the violence.
"There was an attack on the police. We will see who is behind it and arrest everyone. Strict legal action will be taken," he added.
While the police maintained the agitation was linked to administrative action against illegal buildings, some locals claimed that grievances over alleged restrictions on the use of loudspeakers during religious prayers and curbs on offering prayers on roads had also contributed to the tensions.
The developments come close on the heels of tension in Kolkata's Rajabazar area on Friday, where a standoff broke out after a group of people allegedly attempted to offer prayers on a public road despite restrictions on blocking traffic.
According to police sources, a large contingent of personnel reached the area and asked people to vacate the road, after which the situation turned tense briefly.
Members of the local community argued that holding Friday prayers on roads had been a long-standing practice in the locality, while the administration maintained that keeping roads clear was necessary for traffic movement and maintenance of law and order.
Police, however, did not indicate any direct connection between the Rajabazar incident and Sunday's violence in Park Circus.
Authorities also did not immediately disclose the number of persons arrested in Sunday's clashes or whether any protesters sustained injuries during the confrontation.
