Bhubaneswar, Feb. 19: Parents and DAV schools are again at loggerheads as the authorities issued a notice yesterday asking Plus Two students to pay tuition fees at an increased rate.

The students had to pay a monthly fee of Rs 1,100 earlier, but with the hike the fee will be Rs 2,045. The have to clear the dues by February 28.

Parents alleged that the school’s motive is to “blackmail’ them since the examinations for the Class XII is scheduled to begin from March 1.

“How can they take such a decision when the matter is pending in Supreme Court? Most of us are from middle-class background and it is extremely difficult to manage the amount at such a short notice,” said Prakash Mohanta, a parent.

The parents’ association of DAV-Chandrasekharpur has threatened to picket outside the school if the notice is not revoked.

Authorities of the school said that the fee was hiked as the Class XII students would leave after the exams are over.

“We have categorically mentioned that the amount will be reimbursed if the Supreme Court directs for no fee hike,” said a senior official of the school.

The regional director of DAV management, Odisha, K.C. Satpathy said: “The court has not said that we should not increase the fee. It has asked us not to force students to clear dues, which we are not doing in any case. In fact, many parents have willingly paid the increased fees. And we have not said that we would debar any child from school activity or exam process.”