Single fee-payment mode in CBSE schools sparks uproar in Hyderabad

Some parents in Hyderabad are unhappy about being forced to pay school fees through ECS (electronic clearing service) at some corporate schools, including CHIREC. They say they aren’t being given other payment options, such as online payment, UPI, or debit or credit cards. Schools say using ECS helps ensure prompt payment and means they don’t have to maintain payment records. But some fintech companies provide only a few banking options for ECS, which requires parents to open new accounts and give consent for auto-debit. Parents have complained to school officials, who say it’s a policy decision. Education officials say parents should file complaints with the DEO if they have issues with fee payments. However, some schools say they can’t offer different payment methods for different curricula, such as CBSE and International Baccalaureate. CHIREC is using Jodo, a fintech start-up, to collect payments. Some parents say the school didn’t ask for their views before implementing the new payment system.