New Delhi: In what could be seen as a Diwali
gift, the government on Thursday announced complete fee waiver for
differently-abled children studying in Kendriya Vidyalayas
from this month.
The decision by HRD Minister Kapil Sibal will bring
cheers to about 2500 physically challenged students studying
in 981 Central schools in the country.
These students will be granted exemption from payment of
Vidyalaya Vikas Nidhi and tuition fee, the HRD Ministry said.
Sibal, who is the chairman of the KVS, took the decision
as part of government's policy towards greater encouragement
to and mainstreaming of differently-abled children.
The decision comes just a few days after the KVS
increased the fees by up to three times for students.
As per the new fee regime, science students in class XII
will have to pay Rs 800 monthly towards tuition, computer
charges and campus development. Earlier, they were paying Rs
270 per month.
Similarly, class XII Arts students will have to pay Rs
590 against Rs 230 they have been paying. Students of class IX
and X will have to pay Rs 490 against Rs 220 they have been
paying till date.
As per the new fee regime, students up to class VIII are
not supposed to pay any tuition fee but will pay computer and
campus development charges. They will pay Rs 290 monthly
against Rs 180 earlier.
The new pay regime has come into effect from October
one this year.
The term "Person with Disability" means a person
suffering from not less than 40 per cent of any disability as
certified by a medical board of a government hospital.
The decision to give fee exemption to physically
challenged students has been taken as a positive incentive for
such children, the Ministry said.
The Kendriya Vidyalaya Sangathan has notified an order
to this effect.
Bureau Report
First Published: Thursday, October 15, 2009, 21:05