This is what a DM should be like! The compulsion to buy books and uniforms from a single store is over, a huge relief for Bareilly parents.

News Topical, Digital Desk : School fees in the district will only be increased under the "Uttar Pradesh Self-Financed Independent Schools (Fee Regulation) Act, 2018." For the 2026-27 academic year, schools will not be allowed to increase fees by more than the Consumer Price Index (CPI) plus five percent compared to the previous year.

Any school charging more than this amount will be considered a violation of the Act. Furthermore, all schools will be required to provide complete fee details on their websites and notice boards 60 days before the start of the school year.

This decision was made on Monday at a meeting of the District Fee Regulatory Committee, chaired by District Magistrate Avinash Singh, held in the Collectorate auditorium. Several decisive steps have been taken for the 2026-27 academic year, aimed directly at bringing transparency to the education system and reducing the growing financial burden on parents.

Parents are often forced to buy items from specific stores. Cracking down on this practice, the administration has stated that no school can force a student to buy books, shoes, socks, or uniforms from a specific store.

Schools have been instructed to prioritize NCERT textbooks for teaching. No school will be allowed to change its uniform before five years. If a change is mandatory, written approval from the District Fee Regulatory Committee will be required.

Safety standards must be followed to operate a swimming pool.

Student safety was also emphasized at the meeting. The operation of swimming pools in schools without permission from the competent authority will be strictly prohibited. Where permission is granted, strict security measures will be in place. The administration has directed that male coaches be appointed for boys and female coaches for girls.

Heavy fines and cancellation of recognition for negligence

A detailed plan for punitive action against schools that violate the rules has been developed. For the first violation, any excess fees collected will be refunded and a fine of up to ₹1 lakh will be imposed. For a second violation, a fine of up to ₹5 lakh will be imposed.

The third time a recommendation will be made to cancel the school's recognition and affiliation. All schools have been given an ultimatum to provide complete data on the fee structure for the past five years to the District School Inspector within a week.

During this, CA Manoj Mangal, President of Teacher Parents Association Ankur Saxena, Coordinator of Parents Forum Muhammad Khalid Jilani, Vishal Mehrotra of Rohilkhand Parents Service Committee, Anil Kullu, Tapendra Katara, Dharmendra Mittal etc. were present.

Read More: Varanasi News: Chaos after a road accident in Varanasi, car driver dies after being beaten by a mob, 7 named