Three Christ Church Diocesan School students were given transfer certificates allegedly after their parents complained that the school charged students Rs 200 for Republic Day celebrations and, in return, gave them biscuits worth Rs 10 each. The school claims it took the action over unpaid fees.

Sanjeev Kumar Pathak, father of two of the three kids, received a message on his cellphone on January 28, informing him that transfer certificates had been issued against his two children, students of upper kindergarten (UKG) and Class II at the school. Pathak had not imagined that his children would pay the price for his run-in with the school administration.

"I had lodged a protest with the school authorities," Pathak said. "I only wanted to vent my ire against the school administration."

Pathak has also dragged the school administration to Patna High Court over annual fee hike of up to 60 per cent. "The school is targeting my kids, as I have raised the issue of the administration raising fees every year."

Pathak has not paid his children's fees for a year now. "Last year in March, when I reached the school to seek my children's re-admission, the school authorities informed me of a 50 per cent hike in tuition fees." Pathak did not pay the fee, saying that the school was raising fees against CBSE norms. According to Pathak, the school raised fees, under various heads, from Rs 600 to Rs 1,000, Rs 700 to Rs 1,200 and Rs 800 to Rs 1,200 per month.

Sources said that as the matter was sub judice, Pathak's two children and another child, whose father, too, was a petitioner in the high court over the fee hike, were allowed to attend classes without paying fees.

After January 26, Pathak asked the school authorities on what ground it was charging Rs 200 from students for the Republic Day function.

But school authorities cited a different angle. "Pathak and the other parentwhose kids were issued TC had misbehaved with school staff members," school principal Rubina Hansda said. "The school decided to issue TC as their fee had not been paid for a year."

Patna High Court advocate Prabhat Kumar said: "Private schools have the power to issue transfer certificate to students if fees are not paid..., but before that, the school authorities should have issued notice to the parents concerned." He also said that misbehaviour by parents should not result in the school issuing transfer certificates to students, especially when they are studying in junior classes.

CBSE schools can raise fees, but it should not exceed more than 10 to 15 per cent. Rajeev Ranjan, president of Patliputra Sahodaya (a group of CBSE schools in Bihar) said: "Private schools can increase fees to improve infrastructure and hike pay of teaching and non-teaching staff, but it should not be over 15 per cent. Raising the fee by 60 per cent is not right."

Parents and school authorities have filed complaints against each other at Gandhi Maidan police station.

An investigating officer said: "As both parties have filed complaints against each other, the matter can be resolved in court only."