Govt to impose fine on Pvt Schools for non-compliance Fee Fixation & Regulation Committee orders

Srinagar, May 12: Jammu and Kashmir Lieutenant Governor (LG), Manoj Sinha in the newly notified rules has said that the Fee Fixation and Regulation Committee (FFRC) shall impose fine to those private schools who do not comply with the orders issued by the Committee.

Principal Secretary, School Education Department has in a notification has said, “In exercise of the powers conferred by section 29 with sections 20A, 20B and 20C of the Jammu and Kashmir School Education Act, 2002, the LG of Union territory of Jammu and Kashmir makes several rules.”

One of the rules issued by the Sinha reads, “On non-compliance of the order of the committee, the chairperson shall impose a fine on private school equivalent to 1 percent of the total revenue generated in the preceding year for the first time of non-compliance and 3 percent for the second time of non-compliance and 5 percent for the third time of non-compliance.”

“If the Private School continues to violate the order consecutively three times, the private school shall be put under the non-admission category and if the private school fails to comply with the orders of the committee, it shall recommend the appropriate authority to take over the management of the school,” it reads.

The notification however reads that it shall be ratified by the committee in its next meeting within 15 days.

It reads, “If the private school fails to refund the amount as ordered by the committee or fails to pay fine as imposed, the chairperson shall order to recover the amount as an arrear of land revenue by Tehsildar concerned (Revenue Officer).”

“The amount so recovered shall be paid to such persons as mentioned in the order and the amount of the penalty to be deposited in the government treasury in such manner as may be ordered by the Chairperson,” reads the notification

Stating the powers and functions of the committee, the authorities said that it shall fix, determine and regulate the fee to be charged and collected by private schools and to hear complaints with regard to the charging and collection of fee in excess of the fee determined by the committee.

“If the Committee, after obtaining the material comes to the conclusion that the private school has charged and collected fee in excess of the fee fixed determined and regulated by the Committee, it shall recommend to the appropriate authority for the cancellation of the recognition or registration of the private school or for any other course of action as it deems fit in respect of the private school,” it reads.