Protest breaks after an alleged fee hike; "Headmistress bagged Rs 80,000 from 400 students," protesters

The guardians and students of Udharbond DN High School have protested against the excessive monthly fees collection by the school. This has created a ruckus in and around the school premises. The school headmistress Bhatari Bhattacharjee has allegedly charged the students extra three hundred rupees from the actual monthly fees. According to the set rules, the school should charge 200 rupees from the students of HS first year but the school headmistress has charged extra 300 rupees from the students by force. The students had to pay the sum total of rupees 500 to the school.

According to the notification provided by the Assam Education Department, the chargeable amount is just rupees 200 for registration but the headmistress has charged hundred rupees extra, that is 300 rupees registration fees from each student. Other than that, the school should not charge any fees for any internal or external exams, but the headmistress has again charged rupees 200 illegally by force. The students of the school have staged a huge protest to register their opposition toward the excess fees charged by the headmistress of the school on 2nd February, Wednesday. The reason behind this protest the students said was to know why the head was charging this excess 300 rupees from the students of her own will.

Talking to the media the protesters said, “The headmistress is looting us, she bagged 80,000 rupees from us 400 students, where most of us are from poor families. Other than that, the school administration has stopped mid-day meals in the school and are taking the money away to their homes”. The protest went violent later as the headmistress showed no cooperation. When a journalist reached the school to know the reason from the headmistress to cover the news, the headmistress misbehaved with the media personnel as well. To control this tense situation, the Assam Police from Udharbond has to intervene in the school protest. Later the situation came under control when the Police and some members from ABVP took charge of the situation.

On the other hand, the 200 picketing students who were charged this extra fee have demanded the suspension of the student from the Education Department of the Government of Assam. The students have also written a memorandum demanding the suspension of the teacher, to the Deputy Commissioner of Cachar and Inspector of Schools.