3-fold fee hike likely in Kendriya Vidyalayas

NEW DELHI: If your child studies in a Kendriya Vidyalaya, be prepared for a steep hike in school fee. The Kendriya Vidyalaya Sangathan's board of governors, which is meeting on Friday, is likely to clear a three-fold hike in fees.

The meeting of the board of governors, expected to be chaired by HRD minister M M Pallam Raju, may also finalize a new logo for the 1,090 KV schools across the country with almost 11 lakh students.

The annual fee charged from KV students is in the range of Rs 3,600-Rs 4,800. This is likely to be raised to about Rs 12,000 for a year. The monthly fee will go up from about Rs 300 a month to around Rs 1,250. The last fee hike took place in 2009.

Sources said the KV Sangathan spends about Rs 12,000 per child in providing free textbooks, uniform and other facilities. During 2011-12, the sangathan spent about Rs 392 crore while for the next academic session an additional Rs 100 crore is likely to be required to provide students with medical services, faculty, security, sports equipment, construction work for additional facilities and setting up of e-classrooms.

While KVs charge fee under different heads, sources said the hike could be effected under the Vidyalaya Vikas Nidhi and computer charges.

The assumption behind raising the fee is that the central government employees are entitled to reimbursement of tuition fee of their wards up to Rs 1,250 per month, sources said.

KVs were originally established to provide quality education for children of government employees. The uniform curriculum — they are all affiliated to CBSE — followed by these schools all over India ensures that the students do not face difficulties when their parents are transferred. Admission to KVs is now much sought after due to their improved standard of education.

Source:TOI