A parent’s complaint against a south Calcutta school has exposed the practice of institutions charging additional session fees from school-leaving students.

Ballygunge Shiksha Sadan has charged computer and tuition fees up to June from a student who appeared for her Higher Secondary examinations this year, according to the complaint lodged with the state consumer affairs department.

“The fees should not have been charged, as the academic session ended in April. Prima facie, it’s a violation of the consumer law,” said P. Mukherjee, director, consumer affairs department.

Quoting rules, an education department official said a school can charge session fees only for the corresponding academic year. Violation can lead to cancellation of the school’s registration.

“Perhaps I had paid this extra amount, too, when I was a student,” said school education minister Partha De. “I have asked the officials to look into the matter.”

The school charged Rs 4,200 as tuition fees and Rs 900 for computer education till June, though her daughter had “hardly attended school after January”, said the complainant, who did not want to be named.

“I had to pay nearly Rs 1,700 extra for the last two months. If 100 students are paying this extra amount, it means the school is making lots of money for no services rendered,” he alleged.

The school authorities, however, denied that they had collected extra fees from school-leaving students.

“We never do that. I cannot remember any such incident,” said P. Acharya, principal of the Ballygunge school.