Srinagar, June 23: The Fee Fixation and Regulatory Committee (FFRC), Jammu and Kashmir, has been functioning without a chairperson for nearly two months, causing difficulties for both parents and private school managements across the Union Territory.
Former FFRC Chairperson, Justice Sunil Hali, retired at the end of March 2026. The Jammu and Kashmir Government subsequently granted him a one-month extension until the end of April. However, since May 2026, the post has remained vacant, leading to a backlog of complaints and pending cases.
Parents who have approached the committee regarding fee hikes by private schools said their grievances remain unresolved due to the absence of a chairperson.
A parent, speaking to Rising Kashmir, said that complaints submitted since May are still pending.
“The FFRC was established to address issues faced by parents, particularly concerning school fees. After the retirement of the chairperson, there is no authority available to take effective action against private schools or resolve parents’ concerns,” he said.
He alleged that some private schools are taking advantage of the situation by increasing fees arbitrarily.
“Parents are already burdened by the high cost of education. In the absence of a functioning regulatory mechanism, schools are hiking fees at their own discretion,” he added.
The vacancy has also affected private school managements seeking approval of their fee structures. A private school owner from Baramulla district said that his institution’s fee proposal remains pending before the committee.
“I submitted my file to the FFRC for fee approval, but due to the non-availability of the chairperson, all such cases across Jammu and Kashmir are pending. The committee cannot approve revised fee structures without the chairperson’s authorization,” he said.
He urged the government to either appoint a new chairperson immediately or extend the tenure of the former chairperson until a replacement is selected.
During his tenure, Justice Sunil Hali oversaw the fixation of fees for 2,799 private schools across Jammu and Kashmir. Following his retirement, more than 1,200 applications and files related to fee approvals are reportedly awaiting clearance.
In the union territory nearly 6,000 private schools in Jammu and Kashmir fall under the ambit of the FFRC, which determines and regulates school fees on the basis of audited financial reports submitted by educational institutions.
