FEE PAYMENT POLICY

1. PURPOSE

The purpose of this Fee Payment Policy is to establish a clear, transparent, systematic and consistent procedure for the assessment, payment, collection and administration of school fees at International Public School, Seoni (M.P.).

2. FEE STRUCTURE AND INSTALLMENTS

2.1 Annual Fee

The annual school fee shall be payable in 11 monthly instalments, as per the fee schedule approved and notified by the School Management.

2.2 Fee Schedule

The applicable fee structure and monthly payment schedule shall be:

• Communicated to parents/guardians at the time of admission;
• Displayed on the school notice board/official communication platform;
• Made available through the school's prescribed fee-payment system.

2.3 Approved Fee Heads

Fees shall be collected only under the fee heads permitted under applicable CBSE and Madhya Pradesh Government regulations.

2.4 Advance Annual Fee Payment

Parents/guardians may, at their option, pay the applicable school fee for the entire academic year in advance.

The rebate shall not apply to Government/CBSE examination fees, optional activities, transport charges or any other charge specifically excluded by the school.

2.5 Fee Receipt

Every payment made to the school shall be duly recorded and an official receipt/payment acknowledgement shall be provided.

2.6 Capitation Fee

The school shall not charge capitation fee or accept donations for admission. CBSE expressly prohibits capitation fee/donations for admission and requires admission and other fee heads to comply with the Appropriate Government's regulations.

3. FEE PAYMENT DUE DATE

1. The 10th day of every month shall be the last date for payment of the monthly fee without a late-payment charge.
2. If the monthly fee is paid after the 10th, a late fee of ₹50/- shall be applicable.
3. Parents/guardians are advised to make payment sufficiently in advance to avoid delays caused by banking, technical or other payment-related issues.
4. If the due date falls on a holiday or a day on which the school office/payment facility is closed, the school may issue appropriate instructions regarding the payment date.

4. FEE REMINDERS AND NOTICES

The school shall normally issue not more than three reminders/notices for outstanding fee payment.

Reminders may be communicated through:

• SMS
• WhatsApp
• E-mail
• Student diary
• Parent portal
• Written notice
• Any other officially approved communication method

5. ACTIVITY AND OTHER OPTIONAL FEES

1. The school may offer additional optional activities, programmes and enrichment services from time to time.
2. Such activities may include, where offered:
   • Dance
   • Music
   • Special clubs
   • Educational activities
   • Excursions/educational tours
   • Competitions
   • Camps
   • Special training programmes
   • Other enrichment activities
3. Charges for optional activities shall be communicated separately.
4. Participation in genuinely optional activities shall be subject to applicable parental consent.
5. Charges shall be collected only for activities/services actually offered and in accordance with applicable Government/CBSE regulations.
6. Any compulsory school charge shall not be described or presented as an optional charge.

6. FEE CONCESSION / SCHOLARSHIP

1. Fee concession or scholarship may be granted by the School Management in accordance with its approved policy.
2. Concession/scholarship may be considered on the basis of:
   • Academic merit
   • Sports achievement
   • Cultural achievement
   • Sibling concession
   • Special circumstances
   • Any other criterion approved by the School Management
3. A concession shall not automatically become a permanent entitlement.
4. The conditions of a scholarship/concession shall be communicated to the concerned parent/guardian.
5. A concession may be reviewed, modified or withdrawn if the conditions attached to it are not fulfilled.
6. All concessions shall be properly recorded in the school's financial records.

7. NON-PAYMENT AND OUTSTANDING FEE PROCEDURE

Where school fees remain unpaid after the prescribed due date:

1. The applicable ₹50/- late fee shall be added.
2. The school may issue the reminders specified under Section 4 of this policy.
3. The Accounts Office/authorised school representative may contact the parent/guardian regarding outstanding dues.
4. Parents/guardians may be requested to clear the outstanding amount within the period communicated by the school.
5. In cases of continued default, the school may take appropriate administrative action subject to applicable CBSE, Government and statutory provisions.
6. No reduction in the applicable school fee shall ordinarily be made merely because a student remains absent from school for any period.
7. Parents experiencing genuine financial difficulties should approach the Principal/Management at the earliest for consideration of an appropriate arrangement.
8. No action shall be taken contrary to applicable law, Government directions, CBSE regulations or statutory rights of the student.

8. WITHDRAWAL / TRANSFER CERTIFICATE

1. A parent/guardian wishing to withdraw a student shall submit a written application to the Principal.
2. The withdrawal procedure shall be completed through the School Office.
3. Applicable outstanding dues shall be settled in accordance with the applicable rules.
4. The Transfer Certificate (TC) shall be issued in accordance with applicable CBSE/State Government rules and the school's prescribed procedure.
5. The school shall not collect fees beyond the period permitted by applicable regulations.
6. Under CBSE Clause 7.4, where the Appropriate Government has not provided otherwise, in case of discontinuance/migration, dues are collected only up to the month of discontinuance or migration, and not up to the month in which the TC is applied for.

9. PARENTS' / GUARDIANS' RESPONSIBILITIES

Parents/guardians are expected to:

1. Pay school fees by the prescribed due date.
2. Check fee notices, receipts and account statements regularly.
3. Keep their mobile number, e-mail address and other contact details updated.
4. Inform the school promptly about any discrepancy in the fee account.
5. Preserve fee receipts/payment confirmations.
6. Inform the school in writing about genuine financial difficulties.
7. Ensure that all applicable financial obligations towards the school are fulfilled within the prescribed time.
8. Use only the school's authorised payment channels.
9. Not make cash payments to unauthorised persons.
10. Immediately report any suspicious payment request to the school office.

10. RULES FOR RTE STUDENTS

1. Students admitted under the Right of Children to Free and Compulsory Education Act, 2009 (RTE Act) shall be governed by the RTE Act, applicable Madhya Pradesh Government rules/orders and applicable CBSE provisions.
2. The school shall not collect fees prohibited under applicable RTE provisions.
3. Reimbursement and other RTE-related financial matters shall be dealt with according to the applicable Government procedure.
4. No student shall be discriminated against on the basis of admission under an applicable statutory RTE provision.
5. Any optional activity/service shall be clearly identified and shall not be imposed contrary to applicable RTE provisions.
6. In case of any conflict, the applicable statutory RTE provisions and Government directions shall prevail.

11. EXAMINATION / ASSESSMENT-RELATED FEES

1. Examination-related charges, wherever applicable, shall be collected only in accordance with applicable CBSE/State Government provisions.
2. CBSE Board examination fees prescribed by CBSE shall be collected separately, where applicable, and within the prescribed timeline.
3. The school shall not impose any unauthorised examination charge.
4. Internal assessment shall be conducted in accordance with the CBSE curriculum and assessment framework.
5. Any examination fee prescribed directly by CBSE shall be governed by the applicable CBSE notification/circular.

12. EXCEPTIONAL CIRCUMSTANCES

Parents/guardians facing exceptional circumstances may submit a written representation to the Principal/School Management.

Exceptional circumstances may include:

• Serious financial hardship
• Natural calamity
• Prolonged disruption of schooling
• Unavoidable transfer
• Death of a parent/guardian
• Serious family circumstances
• Any other extraordinary situation

The School Management may consider, on a case-to-case basis, an instalment arrangement, temporary relief or other appropriate measure, subject to applicable law and school policy.

Any such concession shall require approval from the competent authority.

13. REFUND AND CANCELLATION POLICY

1. Registration Fee, Prospectus Fee, Admission Fee, Tuition Fee, Examination Fee and Co-Curricular Fee shall ordinarily be non-refundable, subject to applicable law, Government directions and statutory requirements.
2. Fees once paid shall ordinarily not be transferable to another student or another academic session.
3. Where a mandatory CBSE/Government provision provides for refund or adjustment, the applicable statutory provision shall prevail.
4. In case of withdrawal/discontinuance, fee collection shall be governed by the applicable CBSE/Government provisions.
5. Refund applications, wherever legally permissible, shall be submitted in writing with the relevant documents and fee receipt.
6. The school shall process any legally permissible refund in accordance with the applicable rules and prescribed procedure.

14. ANNUAL FEE REVISION

1. The School Management shall review the fee structure every academic year.
2. The school proposes an annual fee revision of a minimum of 7.5%, subject to the applicable laws, regulations, directions and approval process prescribed by the Appropriate Government.
3. The final fee structure shall be approved through the School Management Committee/competent management process as applicable.

CBSE specifically provides that fee revision is subject to the laws, regulations and directions of the Appropriate Government and that fee cannot be revised without the required approval of the School Management Committee or the process prescribed by the Appropriate Government.

15. CBSE / STATE GOVERNMENT COMPLIANCE

International Public School, Seoni shall comply with all applicable:

• CBSE Affiliation Bye-Laws
• CBSE circulars and directions
• Madhya Pradesh Government/School Education Department regulations
• Applicable RTE provisions
• Applicable fee regulation provisions
• Directions of competent local authorities
• Statutory taxation requirements, wherever applicable
• Other applicable laws and regulations

CBSE requires affiliated schools to follow applicable Central/State Government and Board directions concerning fee regulation and school administration.

Where there is any inconsistency between this policy and a mandatory Government/CBSE provision, the latter shall prevail.

16. PRIVACY AND CONFIDENTIALITY

1. The school shall maintain fee and financial records in a responsible manner.
2. Student and parent financial information shall be accessible only to authorised personnel for legitimate institutional purposes.
3. Personal information shall not ordinarily be disclosed to unauthorised third parties.
4. Information may be disclosed where required by law, Government authority, CBSE, statutory authority or other lawful requirement.
5. Parents/guardians must not share their payment passwords, OTPs, PINs or banking credentials with any school employee or unauthorised person.
6. The school shall take reasonable administrative measures to protect fee-related records.

17. PAYMENT DISPUTES AND GRIEVANCE REDRESSAL

Any fee-related discrepancy or complaint should initially be submitted to the Accounts Office.

If the matter is not resolved, the parent/guardian may submit a written representation to the Principal.

Where necessary, the matter may be placed before the competent School Management authority.

The school shall endeavour to examine genuine fee-related grievances fairly and within a reasonable period.

18. GOVERNING LAW AND JURISDICTION

This policy shall be governed by the applicable laws of the Republic of India and the State of Madhya Pradesh, together with applicable CBSE rules, regulations and directions.

Subject to the jurisdiction of statutory authorities and applicable Government/CBSE grievance mechanisms, matters arising from this policy shall be subject to the jurisdiction of the competent courts/authorities having jurisdiction over Seoni, Madhya Pradesh.

19. POLICY AMENDMENT

The School Management reserves the right to amend, modify or update this policy when required due to:

• Changes in CBSE regulations
• Changes in Madhya Pradesh Government regulations
• Statutory amendments
• Government directions
• Changes in school administration
• Operational requirements