JLKM Protests “Re-Admission Fees” in Jamshedpur Pvt Schools

Jamshedpur: The East Singhbhum District Committee of the Jharkhand Loktantrik Krantikari Morcha (JLKM) staged a day-long protest in front of the Deputy Commissioner’s office on Thursday. The party is protesting the “exorbitant” re-admission fees that private schools charge parents every year.

Leading the demonstration, JLKM Jamshedpur Metropolitan President Ram Prasad Mahto and District General Secretary Dinesh Mahto slammed private institutions for turning education into a business. They argued that according to the Jharkhand Education Tribunal (Amendment) Act 2017, every private school must form a fee committee, but they labeled this provision a mere “formality” in practice.

“Private schools arbitrarily collect huge sums in the name of re-admission every single year,” the leaders stated. “There is no logic in taking admission fees annually for a student who is already studying in the same school. The district administration must take immediate and strict action against this profiteering.”

Following the protest, a JLKM delegation submitted a memorandum to the Deputy Commissioner. Key members present included former candidate Ram Das Murmu, District Spokesperson Subrat Mahto, and several others.

Key Demands of JLKM:

• Fee Committees: Every private school must mandatorily form a Fee Determination Committee.

• Parent-Teacher Associations: Schools must establish active Parent-Teacher Associations (PTA).

• RTE Implementation: All recognized private schools must strictly provide 25% reservation under the Right to Education (RTE) Act.

• Special Provisions: The administration should create special admission provisions for the children of local Khatiyani landholders.

• Fee Hike Limits: Schools should limit fee hikes to a minimum interval of two years.