Monday, May 25, 2009

CHILDREN EDUCATION ALLOWANCE SCHEME – Need For a Clarification




We all know that the “Children Education Allowance Scheme” announced in the Sixth Central Pay Commission has got huge appreciation among the Central Government Employees.



Central government employees children should go to school, get good knowledge by joining good institutes – This has been the main aim of Central Government Children Education Allowance Scheme, has given good hopes in the minds of central government employees about their children’s education and future.



The employees who were unable to send their child to school as because they were working in under developed places or economically backward places and also those employees who found hard to give good education to their lads because of their economical state are sincerely thinking about their children’s studies through this scheme.



This is a welcome improvement. It is sure that in future this scheme will nurture many more talents.



Earlier before Sixth Pay Commission we were getting meagre amount for education as tuition fees. Now through Children Education Allowance provision has been made to recover a maximum of Rs.1,000 per month and an amount not more than Rs.12,000 per year.



This Children Education Allowance Scheme has been implemented from Sep-2006 and will be issued based on academic year that is from June to May.



In 2008-09, nine months that is from Sep-2008 to May-2009 are coming under this new scheme. For the remaining three months (June-2008 to Aug-2008) as per the old scheme tuition fees will be provided.



The central government organizations where education allowance is provided as one lump sum per year will get Rs.9120 for the current academic year (June-2008 to May-2009) and the remaining government organization employees will get it for every three months.



This Children Education Allowance will be provided to those who surrender their children’s original bills i.e. school fees, tuition fees and various other bills pertains to the education of children as per the government order.Office Memorandum, dated 2.9.2008) And for those who does not surrender their bills will not be provided with Children Education Allowance.



Allowances given for the benefit of employees remain equal for all and not variable for each individual. But based on Children Education Allowance rules, one person may get for his child an amount of Rs.1,000 per year and another get for his child an amount of Rs.12,000 per year. Moreover employees are having grievances based on the bills provided in the schools and various other bills related to this scheme.



For example children’s uniform cloth rate ranges from Rs.40 to Rs.400 per meter. Believing that whatever money spends for children’s education will be refunded, our employees are going for high quality products. When these bills are submitted management seems to have suspicious view and their argument takes place between management and employees. This variation in value starts from ordinary pencil, pen and compelled to submit bills on time in all the four quarters that is for every three months. This also leads to friction in between management and employees.



The maximum limit for Children Education Allowance has been fixed. But there is no sealing for each and every expense. This creates a doubt in the minds of employees that the differences in allowance will remain forever.



To remove such drawbacks in this good scheme, central government employees wishes that the central government should consider all the employees who provide a Bonafide Certificate from their children’s school should be provided with Rs 1,000 per month as Children Education Allowance.


37 comments:

  1. I really agree with what is suggested and I think DOPT should think over it positively becuase as it is expense on each child is definitely going to be more than thousand rupees. Kindly let us know what steps are to be taken to go about for making this successful

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  2. I also agree with this, this way the advantages are

    1. Freedom to buy from anywhere
    2. Avoids unnecessary paper works, and thus save lot of man hours
    3. Freedom to choose the best for the child

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  3. Most of the Central Govt. employees children are studying in Kendriya Vidhyalaya. They are charging monthly fees as “Vidhyalaya Vikas Nidhi” which cannot be reimbursable under the “Children education Allowance scheme”. Private schools are conducting coaching for extra curricular activities such as music, abacus, sports, computer training etc. and this fees also can be reimbursable under the above scheme. KV students has to depend outside Training centres for studying extracurricular activities.

    Kindly add one more clarification “WHETHER THE FEES MADE TOWARDS EXTRA-CURRICULAR ACTIVITIES OF CHILDREN FOR UNDER GOING CERTAIN VOCATIONAL COURSES SUCH AS SPORTS, ABACUS, DRAWING, DANCE, MUSIC ETC. UNDERTAKEN BY VARIOUS INSTITUTIONS/ORGANISATIONS OTHER THAN THE CONCERNED SCHOOL AUTHORITIES, ARE REIMBURSEABLE, UNDER THE PRESENT CEA SCHEME (UNDER THE PROVISION OF REIMBURSEMENT OF FEES FOR EXTRA CURRICULAR ACTIVITIES)”.

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  4. I also agree with Shri Nandhi's comments that the government should avoid these paper works and unwanted friction between management and Employee. So an allowance of Rs 1000/- per month should be given to all parents who have school going children along with their salary after taking a certificate from the respecitve schools/parents. This children Education alllowance must alos be extended to children who are studying beyond 12th class as they are still dependent on their parents for theier expenses.

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  5. IT WOULD BE BETTER IF THE AMOUNT OF RS 1000/- IS GIVEN TO ALL THE SCHOOL GOING CHILDREN (LIMITED TO TWO) ON SUBMISSION OF CERTIFICATE ISSUED BY SCHOOL AUTHORITIES. IN ARMED FORCES AND PARAMILITARY FORCES TRANSFER ORDERS ARE ISSUED IN A ROUTINE MANNER AND IN THE MIDDLE OF SESSION. AS SUCH CLAIMING AS WELL SANCTIONING CEA NEEDS LOT OF PAPER WORK.

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  6. please tell me about the child education allowance is a taxable income or not

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  7. Sir, I would like to have clarification about the educational allowance for mentally retarded children of the Central Govt.employee. I understand that it is Rs.2000/- per month as per the 6th pay commission recommendations. Does it mean that Rs.24000/- per annum or the actual expenditure as tution fees, uniform clothes, books etc.,what is the age limit or class limit for such children?

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  8. In such cases the benefits will be admissible between the age limit 5 to 22 years.

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  9. The allowance does not depend on expenditure. The amount exempt is limited to Rs.100 per month per child up to a maximum of two children.

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  10. R/Sir,
    I am posted at Satara. My daughter, after passing 10th, got admission at a specialized college in Pune for 11th Arts (English medium with German subject), through centralized admission process based on merit, and therefore I am compelled to keep her in a hostel run by and attached to the college in Pune.

    The specified course is not available in any of the colleges in Satara and it is so certified by the District Education Officer.

    I would like to know whether I can apply for Hostel Subsidy as per the revised rules of Sixty Pay Commission recommendation.

    Yours faithfully

    (S.P. WALIMBE)
    Senior Engg.Asstt.
    Doordarshan,Satara

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  11. my daughters school charges Rs.1700 as educational activity fees every month and tution fees of Rs 100/- p.m. Am I entitled to claim Rs 1000/- p.m as Children Education Allowance

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  12. from Vasudev,
    for the period 2008-09, the order says that it is implemented from Sept 2008 and up to May 2009.
    in my case my daughters school fee is Rs.1300=00 per month. first instalment i paid in May 2008 for four months(Jun08 to Sept 08). as second instalment i paid the fees from Oct08 to Feb 09 for five months during august 2008. the third instalment was paid in February 09 from Mar 09 to May 09.
    our office is of the openion that the first two instalments are not eligible as paid them before September 1st 2008 eventhough it is mentioned in the bill that the fees if up to Feb 09.
    can i get any clarification or orders whether i am eligible for 9 months or only 3 months as per my office. my email is vasudevramachandra@gmail.com

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  13. as per ministry of public grievances office memo it is written that fees charged for any subjects and fees paid for use of any aid or appliances used by child are reimburseable.But office is denying to reimburse vidyalaya vikash nidhi and school bus fees charged by kendriya vidyalaya school authority every month.So I fully agree with you that children education allowance needs a futher clarification in this regard immediately.

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  14. Yes, Now no restriction on the hostel subsidy. If one has to keep his child away from posting/residing for want of particular course,Hostel subsidy is allowed and can claim 3000/= per month or actuals.

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  15. There is s friction between managenet and employee after claiming the Vidyalaya Vikas Nidhi charged by KVS more than tution fee since from year 2000 and KVS does not charge seperately library fee, sport fee, extracurriculam activity fee, music fee etc., and the same time our management interpeted that this is not a FEE this is a development fee which can not be reimbursed under the CEA but in the same organisation other emplyees whos children are studing other than Kendriya Vidhyalaya they produced the bill where sereparely above mentioned category charged and reflected in the fee receipt. They are happily paid. we would like to seek clrification that in Govt. School any amount as development fund allowed to chagred or not? I think many private school stopped collecting any development fee as per Supreme Court orders> This needs a preper attention and to clarify as early as possible apart from this there is another request to look in to project funded KV school. Most of support is provided by the project like DRDO CSIR DEFENCE...
    So I think there is no need of collecting develepment kinds of fees in the project schools. This will defenately give a great success to the Govt. of India order for CEA and most of the children not going school will also be motivated, to achive 100% litericy in our country

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  16. There is s cofussion between managenet and employee after claiming the Vidyalaya Vikas Nidhi charged by KVS more than tution fee since from year 2000 and KVS does not charge seperately library fee, sport fee, extracurriculam activity fee, music fee etc., and the same time our management interpeted that this is not a FEE this is a development fee which can not be reimbursed under the CEA but in the same organisation other emplyees whos children are studing other than Kendriya Vidhyalaya they produced the bill where sereparely above mentioned category charged and reflected in the fee receipt. They are happily paid. we would like to seek clrification that in Govt. School any amount as development fund allowed to chagred or not? I think many private school stopped collecting any development fee as per Supreme Court orders> This needs a preper attention and to clarify as early as possible apart from this there is another request to look in to project funded KV school. Most of support is provided by the project like DRDO CSIR DEFENCE...
    So I think there is no need of collecting develepment kinds of fees in the project schools. This will defenately give a great success to the Govt. of India order for CEA and most of the children not going school will also be motivated, to achive 100% litericy in our country

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  17. Sir,
    What is the age limit to get entitle for children education allowance. My son is 01.5 year old . Can I avail the benefit considering his future studies.

    Deepak Lalchandani
    Mumbai

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  18. Sir
    Please clarify whether Transport charges paid by the employee for their school going children under this CEA Scheme, since in south central railways only tution fee is sanctioning. But in the DOPT order "fees charged for any subjects and fees paid for use of any aid or appliances used by child are reimburseable" . What does it means?.

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  19. The order of CEA Scheme has restricted the claim of individuals to few items of expenditure only. There are items such as building fund, transport charges etc. which constitute a good share of the total school fee being charged by the schools. The parents are actually bearing these charges towards education of their wards. It is thus felt that all charges included in the school fee bills should be reimbursible subject to the prescribed ceilings.

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  20. From
    Gopinath.N.P
    Central Excise & Customs
    Calicut Commissionerate
    Mananchira, Calicut.

    Sir,
    Ministry's order No.12011/03/2008 dt.2nd september 2008 mentioned in para (e)the reimbursement for the following items can be claimed ie. tution fee, admission fee, laboratoryfee etc. except "Vidyalaya Vikas Nidhi" paying by the children studying at Kendriya vidyalaya. Please clarify whether "Vidyalaya Vikas Nidhi" can be reimburse or not.

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  21. Kendriya vidhyala is the most popular institution for the cerntral govt employees. the fees paid by the employees as vidhyalaya vikas nidhi (i.e 60 %of fees)is not admitted as children education allowance by the audit authorities . Which is very injustice against the employees. However, all the fees paid in the private institutions are being passed. it is an discrimination and encouraging the employees to send their wards to private institutions

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  22. One Central Govt. employee is having three children. As per rules, he was reimbursing tuition fees under CEA for 1st and 2nd child. Now he wants to shift the reimbursement for 2nd and 3rd child. Is is admissible? Kindly clarify.

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  23. In my office we have the same problem also, some of our employee are having more than two children and claiming for reimbursement. When it was asked, it was told that, if any body has not calimed for the first two child, then he can claim for any two child. I wish this is the correct interpretation only.

    Any body pl clarify this, can it be possible to claim for any two child,(not the first two) when the enmployee has more then two child,or he can only claim for two children those who are born after 1987.

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  24. If the fee is paid for the full year in the begning of the session and only one lumpsum fee receipt is received .How to claim CEA under this condition?

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  25. Rembursement of Children educational expenses should be converted to Children educational allowance and Rs.1000 and Rs3000 should be paid to the employees with his/her monthly salary after producing some avidence that his/her child is stuying in nursury to class 10+2 or staying in a hostel as the case may be.Because office is creating a lot of problem in rembursing the claims.Even theyare not paying the notebooks purcased for the child.

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  26. It is good scheme for Central Govt. servent.

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  27. Even though the scheme is good.But the offices are creating lot of hurddels and putting objections on one or the other issue.

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  28. sir,
    1. clarification regarding vidyalaya vikas nidhi, in kendriya vidyalayas may be given at the earliest.

    2. most of the bills in shops are printed in termal paper and will lost its printing in few days. photocopy of the bill with original needs submission. but only photo copy alive.

    3. it is better to give the CEA of Rs.12000/= in every year, bills and receipts create lot of works in every quarter for every employee. it is manpower wastage.

    thanks

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  29. It is very difficult to verify the bills submitted by emplyees in support of claim.It would be better to allow l.s. amount as ces.
    Padmakar H.K.

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  30. sir,Now from oct09,KV has increased fees.They are collecting Computer fund as 50/-per month.Is this is eligible for reimburesement under Children education Allowance.
    pls clarify

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  31. Ministry's order No.12011/03/2008 dt.2nd september 2008 mentioned in para (e)the reimbursement for the following items can be claimed ie. tution fee, admission fee, laboratoryfee etc. except "Vidyalaya Vikas Nidhi" paying by the children studying at Kendriya vidyalaya. Please clarify whether "Vidyalaya Vikas Nidhi" can be reimburse or not.L.K.Sahoo, L.D.C., H.O.Circle, CWC, Bhubaneswar

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  32. Kendriya vidhyala is the most popular institution for the cerntral govt employees. the fees paid by the employees as vidhyalaya vikas nidhi (i.e 60 %of fees)is not admitted as children education allowance by the audit authorities . Which is very injustice against the employees. However, all the fees paid in the private institutions are being passed. it is an discrimination and encouraging the employees to send their wards to private institutions.Please clarify whether "Vidyalaya Vikas Nidhi" can be reimbursed or notLaxman Sahoo, LDC,CWC,BBSR

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  33. I am a central government emplyee and the this year when I submitted the claim for the children's education allowance, it was denied for the UKG kid stating that the school does not have recognition. In Kerala, as per the state government rules, there is no necessary for any school to register if they are conducting classes up to 1 standard. Most of the schools up to 4 standard are also not registered. The purpose of the education allowance was to help the emplyees without creating rules and red tapism. But however our accounts and other departments never understands this.

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  34. I am a cetnral Govt employee and serving in Border Roads Organisation. My submission is that Grant of CEA to Central Govt employee is so simple as stated by Govt in their circular, But Pay and Accounts's Office GREF has made it so critical that one can not claim even by producing the necessary receipts. They have imposed the restrictions that the bill should bear the VAT/TIN Number of the seller. In this context I would like to say that there are certain remote stations where VAT or TIN has no means since they are retail customers in the remote areas. This restrictions should have been waived off. However, one suggestion has made in the blog I had seen that CEA shoudl be paid in limp sum @Rs.100/-pm on producing proof of child's school admission in any recognised schol.

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  35. Any body can intimate Tax paid on items willbe reimbursed, since PCDA concerned is not passing the tax paid for education allowance.

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  36. Respected sir,
    I want to know the price limit of uniform and book set except tution fee.........

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  37. In Kendriya Vidyalaya in Rajasthan keeps three type of Uniforms lile :
    1. Summer
    2. Winter
    3. White Uniform for perticular two days of week.

    In this regard, two set of uniform are as under or not, please clarify this
    1. Summer - 2 Set
    2. Winter - 2 Set
    3. White Uniform for perticular two days of week. - 2 set

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