With the start of new academic session in all the private CBSE, ICSE schools, parents are asked to pay around Rs 200 to Rs 400 more for the bus or van fee depending on the route, distance and type of vehicle. While district administration remained busy in tightening the noose around bookstores and publishers after sales of almost 90 per cent syllabus books, school management and private van operators put extra burden on parents with the fare hike. Private schools have their own buses on various routes but they are charging different amount from parents for the same distance. Parents said that recently fuel price has been slashed by Rs 2 per litre but charge of school bus and van has been increased. They said, when fuel price go up, van and bus operator immediately introduce the fare hike but this time fuel price has been reduced but fare has swelled. Many parents have demanded the district administration to intervene in the matter.

 

According to Fee Regulation Act 2020, school administration is not allowed to introduce the bus fare hike while bus fare is decided by the School Education Department and Transportation Department. Madhya Pradesh Parents Association said that private schools are charging different amount from parents for the same distance. The association also alleged that school buses and van operators are ignoring the guidelines of court just because of lethargic attitude of the transportation department. MP Parents Association Secretary Prabodh Pande said, “I have also written to the District Collector for regulating school bus fee. School bus fee is decided by the transportation and School Education Department jointly under the MP Fee Regulation Act.” He further said that there are detail guideline of CBSE for the schools buses which is clearly being ignored in city.

 

According to CBSE guidelines, it is mandatory to display yellow colour on school buses and vans, school’s name and number should be displayed on both back and front side of the vehicle, there should be mandatory female conductor in van or bus if female students travel in the vehicle. CBSE also mandate uniform ‘khaki’ for the drivers for identification. It is also mandatory for the driver to have at least five years of driving experience. Opposing the allegation of parents’ association, Secretary of the Madhyra Pradesh Private Vans Association Sudhir Kumar said, “There are nominal changes in fuel price. It takes Rs 30,000 to 40,000 expenses annually to maintain the vehicle including insurance, penalty, driver, diesel, etc so have no other option except increasing the fare.”