Students of Kishore Bharati Higher Secondary School, in Behala, are bearing the brunt of a harsh fee-and-donation policy adopted by the school’s authorities to raise funds for a college.

“The school is not even sparing guardians from the poor strata. The guardians complained that students who did not pay up were threatened that they would not be promoted, or barred from appearing for the board examinations,” said Anjan Das, Behala’s Trinamul Congress councillor and chairman of Calcutta Municipal Corporation’s Borough 14.

“We have also received complaints that the school authorities collect hefty sums from students at the time of admission, which most guardians cannot afford,” Das added.

The school, with 1,500 students, is celebrating its golden jubilee this year. On its annual day, observed last month, the authorities charged an entry fee of Rs 100 per head, even from its own students. The excuse: construction of Kishore Bharati Bhogini Nivedita Girls’ College.

The parents protested that many of them were very poor rickshaw-pullers, porters and domestic helps, and could not pay the hefty sum, but the institution authorities paid no heed.

The authorities, however, denied the allegations. “There is no question of forcing anybody. At a meeting with the guardians before the admission process, we discuss the details of such matters and proceed in accordance with the decision. If there still are any guardians who find the system unaffordable, they can shift their wards to any other school in the area,” said Debasish Chakraborty, teacher-in-charge.

“Some people are trying to malign the school. They should know that I have mortgaged my own residence so that the college can come up, and several teachers have also contributed financially,” said founder-secretary Subhas Sarkar.