Patna, March 16: The Right to Education (RTE) Act is aimed at providing education to all. But its fallouts could snowball into a burden for some. Some students might have to shell out more as monthly fee.

A source said a number of schools are planning to hike their monthly fee by 25 to 50 per cent in the next session because going by the act they would have to reserve 25 per cent seats for underprivileged students. The reserved seats would reduce the income of the schools though they would be getting a certain amount from the state and central governments against them.

Parents said schools are taking unfair advantage of the provisions of the act. The proposed hike in fee will increase their income. It will not just cover their loses. They want the state government to constitute a regulatory body to check the rampant hike.

“The schools are raising fees for all the classes but the seats have been reserved only for Class I or Nursery. They are doing this to increase their income,” said a parent.

Santosh, another parent, said: “Schools will make more profit through the hike. They are not just covering losses. They will be getting compensation from both the state and the central governments because of the losses they will incur. Yet, they are also hiking the fee.”

The parent said: “We have no option but to cough up the additional money. The state government should have a regulatory body to control the fee. We are being exploited.”

Prachi, a mother, said: “Schools keep increasing the fee or charges even for irrelevant things. A reputed school in Patna is charging Rs 200 for the school magazine, as opposed to Rs 100 last year. Another school charges Rs 50 for the badge. There should be a regulatory body to stop all these.”

According to the RTE Act, the Centre would pay 65 per cent of the fee of underprivileged children and the state government would cough up the rest. The Nitish Kumar-led government, however, is ready to pay only 10 per cent, as they do not have enough funds.

Some school authorities feel increasing fee without any regulation is unjustified.

Radiant International School principal Radhika K. said: “Schools should hike fee as per the inflation rate. Increasing fee by 50 per cent is unjustified.”