Parents of 42 students studying at the Army Public School in J C Nagar have claimed that their children are being harassed for not paying the readmission fee of Rs 21,000.
The school had begun to collect this amount since 2009 when it changed its name from the Parachute Regiment School to Army Public School.
The amount includes a refundable deposit of Rs 9,000 and other fees. Parents say the school received approval for change of name from the CBSE on condition that no fresh admission fee will be collected.
A circular has been issued to these students asking them to pay this amount before January 2 or face debarment.
The institution has even put up a notice at the main entrance, mentioning the amount outstanding from each of the 42 “nonbonafide” students, along with their names.
“Our children are being termed ‘defaulters’ everyday and are being subjected to step-motherly treatment. We are merely asking for a justification from the school authorities for demanding `21,000 as re-admission fees, when the CBSE has clearly told them not to collect this amount.
We just want to know why we are supposed to pay this amount,” questioned J Melquier Celestine, a parent.
Parents also allege that the school authorities have also been restricting their wards from activities like sports and excursions.
“A student was recently diagnosed with depression for the discrimination,” said Sheetal Chillal, another parent.
When contacted, Col M S Salunke and Col S S Ranade on behalf of the school administration denied students were being harassed.
“We have to run our school administration and have to pay staff salaries. This is not an aided school, it is run by the Army Welfare Education Society. We want the students to pay up so we can run the school,” they said.
They added that they have written to the CBSE seeking to justify the re-admission fees.
“We have not received a response. If the CBSE insists that the re-admission amount is not to be collected, we will refund it. Before asking for this amount, we returned the security deposit students had paid enrolling into the Parachute Regiment School,” they said.