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.