Students’ future at stake as schools deny transfer certs

Bhopal: With the beginning of the new academic session, several parents have changed the schools of their children. However, this is not easy for them as parents have to run from pillar to post to get the transfer certificate (TC) as schools have withheld them citing reasons including fee payment.
This comes despite the district education office's order that schools can not withhold TCs of the students in any situation.
This negation of schools to issue TC to the students comes as parents withdrawing wards from private unaided schools owing to financial woes posed by pandemic and shifting them to aided or government schools.
Parents said that schools are making several excuses for issuing the TCs. “After Covid, I was not able to pay the school fees. I had to change the school of my children. Their admission is hanging in the balance as schools are not ready to issue the TCs. Their new school has given a deadline to submit the TCs, which is coming closer. In case, I could not get the TC, their admission may get cancelled,” said Ashish Saxena, father of a class 8 student. Another parent alleged that they have left idea of changing schools. “I have decided to continue with the same school in which my daughter is studying for the past 3 years. I will start the process of getting the TC much earlier next year,” said Prakash Narayan, father of a class 5 student.
The biggest challenge is with the parents who have shifted from Bhopal. “After several visits to Bhopal, I managed to get the TC. However, this is not done. I had paid the entire fee and completed other formalities but schools issued the TC after I visited them several times,” said a parent without quoting his name.
DEO Bhopal, Nitin Saxena, said that although he didn’t receive any such complaints yet, strict action will be taken against schools deliberately holding the TCs of the students. “Parents or students facing such predicament can approach the district education officer or joint director (education), Bhopal, to file a complaint in this regard,” said Saxena.
He added, “An inquiry will be held on the complaints received and a fine of Rs 1 lakh would be imposed on the schools found guilty of engaging in such activities.”