Parents are up in the arms over the online fee payment in almost all the schools, as they are forced to pay additional amount ranging from Rs 25 to Rs 400.
India is going cashless and the Government is encouraging online transactions and plastic money, but becoming digital is still a far dream in the country. Most of the schools have made it mandatory for parents to pay the fee online or through demand drafts or debit or credit card. The parents have been asked not to pay the school fee through cheque as now it is not acceptable.
One such aggrieved parent Sadia Khan says, “I know that the country is going cashless, but school fee payment has become more or less a headache for me. Every month I have to pay extra amount as a additional amount is deducted from my account.”
Another parent Ravi said that most often the web page does not work due to which he had to pay the fee twice along with extra payment. “I think this deduction of additional amount during online transaction is unfair as it is being imposed forcibly, he added.”
On the other hand, the school management say that they only take what the actual fee of the ward is and not the deducted money. “The school has nothing to do with the amount deducted while making payment through cards. We only receive the fee which is mentioned in the fee booklet of the school,” says Principal of Campion School Fr Athnas lakra. He further mentioned that it is a Government rule and the additional amount goes to the banks, not the schools.
There was similar response from Principal of St Joseph’s Convent School Sister lily.
The schools have made it mandatory and a different section in the website for online payment has been prepared. A separate id and password has given to the parents for online transactions. Besides, the parents can also pay the fee through a mobile app after which they will receive the receipt instantly.
Divisional Commissioner Ajatshatru Shrivastava told ‘The Pioneer’ that he would get the issue examined, if anybody comes forth with a complaint.