CBSE seeks explanation from Hyderabad Public School Ramanthapur over fee hike complaints

The CBSE has sought an explanation from Hyderabad Public School, Ramanthapur, following parents’ complaints of steep fee hikes and absence of a functional PTA. The school has been given 30 days to respond, failing which action may be initiated.

Hyderabad: Acting on parents’ complaints on unilateral fee hikes and non-existence and non-formation of parent-teacher association (PTA), the Central Board of Secondary Education (CBSE) has sought an explanation from the Hyderabad Public School (HPS) Ramanthapur principal. The CBSE warned that necessary action as per the rules will be initiated if the school fails to respond within 30 days.

In a communication recently sent to the HPS Ramanthapur principal, the CBSE said the complainants’ allegations of various irregularities in the school were serious in nature and required clarification from the school, as they violated the provisions of affiliation/examination bye-laws of the Board.

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“The school authority hereby directed to submit a point wise explanation, along with supporting documents regarding allegations to the complainant as well as to this office within 30 days from the date of issue of this letter positively, failing which, it will be presumed that the school has nothing to represent and the Board will take necessary action as per provisions of the affiliation/examination bye-laws of the Board,” the letter read.

In a six-page complaint, HPS Ramanthapur parents alleged that school management has been imposing unilateral fee hikes over the past five years, with the fee spiked to a maximum of 141 per cent in a span of four years.

This fee hike, according to parents, was a clear violation of the State government rules that allow enhancing the fee as per the consumer performance index, which ranges between 4 to 6 per cent. Parents said they believed that they were being financially exploited through fee hikes, which were justified by the promise of new buildings, enhanced infrastructure, and various additional facilities. However, no evidence of these developments was found. Parents also alleged absence of physical PTA in all the HPS branches – Begumpet, Ramanthapur, Warangal and Kadapa.