The schools affiliated to Punjab School Education Board (PSEB) have been issued a notification informing about the introduction of Goods and Services Tax (GST) on their affiliation fee.
In a notification issued to heads and principals of affiliated schools in the state on July 25, the PSEB stated that under the new regulations, affiliation would be granted for a period of three years, with a fee of Rs 15,000 with 18.5 per cent GST for matriculation and senior secondary category; Rs 50,000, with addition of Rs 9,000 (18 per cent GST) for senior secondary group, while the schools that have already applied for affiliation as senior secondary in 2023-24, will have to pay a fee of Rs 20,000 with 18.5 per cent GST for uploading the Annual Progress Report.
The GST being levied on affiliation fee has been met with dissent by the management of schools. While the earlier governments had kept the school education out of GST bounds, the latest decision is bound to impact the students directly.
“The move is being deliberated upon and we are going to host a meeting of affiliated and recognised schools of PSEB pan Punjab to take a decision in the matter. We are definitely going to oppose the move as it is not healthy for the future of school education in state which is going to become costlier for students. Last year, the PSEB had charged Rs 50,000 as affiliation fee for a period of three years from schools in a threatening way. Before the amendments brought in earlier this year, the affiliation fee for a period of one year was Rs 10,000, but now the affiliation period and the fee both have been increased,” said an member of the Amritsar unit of Recognised and Affiliated Schools’ Association (RASA).
He shared how further levying GST on schools will eventually result in fee hike for students. “Schools will be put in a tough spot. In any case, private affiliated schools, under PSEB guidelines, have to submit details of their accounts to the regulatory authority for re-affiliation and imposing more charges would mean that schools will have to raise fee,” he said.
Source: The Tribune
