Telangana: Schools keep a provision to tax parents

Hyderabad: Have you ever heard of the Centre or State Government collecting taxes on school fees? Well! A global school affiliated to CBSE in Attapur in the city has come with a tagline in their circular asking parents to pay the fees. It reads, "Think Beyond".

After giving a long list of how it is going to collect the school fee for the ensuing academic year of 2021-22, Think Beyond cautions the parents, "In general, a minimum yearly increase of 5-8% on the fee may be expected. The above fee is excluding taxes. In case any tax is levied by the Government, parents will be informed regarding subsequent increase in fee."

Now parents are in a dilemma and fail to understand as to when and who is likely to introduce this new tax, the Centre or the State.

So far no one had heard about any tax on school fees.

Speaking to The Hans India, one of the parents of a Class VIII student said, "the school is keeping this provision to collect more from the parents-over and above the annual increase of school fee in the name of tax. It is more worrying now as parents are clueless as to how much more they have to pay towards the possible tax that might be imposed by the Centre and the Telangana government on the school of their children."

While asking the parents to think beyond as to what possible taxation would attract the school fee that they will have to pay, the school asked them to shell down the first instalment of the school fee for the academic years 2021-22 by March 31.

The other important points that parents are asked to note includes, the fee schedule and the quantum of fee determined for each student and the structure applicable to the academic years in which the student is admitted and is also subject to the other policies which may vary from student to student, it said.

Applications along with the document and annual fee should be submitted to confirm the seat. Once the fee is paid it will not be returned. On the top of it, uniforms, shoes, socks, identity card, books, stationery and such other items have to be procured from the school at an additional cost.

It may be mentioned here that it is in violation of the CBSE rules. The District Education Officers of the State government were authorised to take action against the school compelling parents to make such purchases in the school-sponsored outlets and shops. But, no action is being taken against the erring schools, the parents pointed out. What more do we have to think beyond, the parents are left wondering.