5 days ago
UP School Refuses Fee Waiver For Gorakhpur Girl Despite CM Yogi's Promise
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The family said the Chief Minister assured them her education would not be disrupted due to financial constraints and promised a fee waiver.
A school in Gorakhpur, Uttar Pradesh, declined to waive the fees of a Class 7 student, despite Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath assuring her of support for her education following her appeal for financial assistance.
Pankhuri Tripathi, a student at Saraswati Shishu Mandir in Gorakhpur, approached CM Yogi Adityanath during Janata Darbar on July 1, requesting a school fee waiver after her father lost his job due to a leg injury.
The family said the Chief Minister assured them her education would not be disrupted due to financial constraints and promised a fee waiver. However, Pankhuri and her father were informed by the school that fee waivers were not possible.
'I had gone to the Chief Minister with a fee waiver request. He gave me a chocolate and assured me that it would be done. But when I went to school with my father, they misbehaved with us," she said, as quoted by NDTV.
The school, run by Vidya Bharati, charges Rs 1,650 per month. According to reports, Pankhuri's pending dues are about Rs 18,000.
The student's father, Rajiv Kumar Tripathi, said he lost his job after a fall during the COVID-19 pandemic and has been struggling to pay school fees for both his children.
He said he was moved by his daughter's disappointment. 'When I saw my daughter crying, I broke down too," he said.
Akhilesh Yadav Reacts
The issue drew a sharp response from the Opposition, with Samajwadi Party leader Akhilesh Yadav offering to support the girl's education.
जो जमा करने में जुटे हैं, वो किसी की फ़ीस क्या माफ़ या जमा कराएँगे।हमारा वादा है बच्ची की पढ़ाई नहीं रुकेगी।
ये है भाजपा के झूठे नारे 'बेटी बचाओ, बेटी पढ़ाओ' का सच। भाजपाइयों से आग्रह है कि बच्चों से झूठ न बोलें।
— Akhilesh Yadav (@yadavakhilesh) July 5, 2025
Despite the political outreach, the family expressed faith in CM Yogi Adityanath, who represents Gorakhpur. 'We are associated with the Math and Maharajji. We believe he would ensure my daughter's education," said Tripathi.
While the school administration declined to give any comment, an official from the state education department said a letter has been sent to the school, and a positive resolution is expected.
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