Uttar Pradesh: No hike in school fees for this academic year due to Covid-19 pandemic

NEW DELHI: The Uttar Pradesh government has banned hike in school fees for the upcoming academic year. All boards including the Central Board of Secondary Education (CBSE), Council For The Indian School Certificate Examinations (CISCE), UP Board have been instructed to charge fees as per the 2019-20 session.

Latest | Omicron, COVID-19 Cases In India Live Updates: Schools shut; board exams online?

“All schools in the state affiliated to CBSE, ICSE or UP Board will not be allowed to increase fees for the academic session 2022-23. The schools will only be allowed to charge fees which were applicable in the year 2019-20,” Additional chief secretary, secondary education, Aradhana Shukla, as per reports.

The Uttar Pradesh government has prohibited increasing school fees for the second consecutive year. The decision was made due to the prevailing Covid-19 pandemic situation in the country.

As per reports, the officer has also warned strict action against schools violating the order by increase fee.

In May 2021, Deputy Chief Minister Dinesh Sharma ordered schools to not hike fees and said if parents are not able to pay three months advance fees, they should be given an option to pay monthly and should not be forced to pay in one instalment itself.

Also read | Kerala HC restrains private medical colleges from charging fees for next year in advance

Meanwhile, the Uttar Pradesh Madhyamik Shiksha Parishad (UPMSP) is expected to conduct UP Class 10, 12 board exams 2022 after March 10 as the state will go to poll in seven phases from February 10 to March 7, 2022. Practical exams of UPMSP 10th, 12th 2022 is expected to be held in the last week of February 2022. The UP board exam timetable 2022 will be released on the official website upmsp.edu.in.

Owing to the pandemic situation, the state government on Sunday ordered closure of all schools till January 16, however, asked educational institutions to continue online classes. Lucknow University has also announced to close campus for offline classes from January 10 to January 16 due to rising Omicron, COVID-19 cases in India.