Mangaluru : Activists of the Students’ Federation of India (SFI) staged a dharna in front of the Deputy Commissioner’s office here on Tuesday urging district authorities to open a helpline for registering complaints against excess fee collection in education institutes.

Addressing a gathering on the occasion Nitin Kuttar, president, Daskhina Kannada unit of the SFI said many education institutes in the district collect large donations from parents during the admission season. Setting up of a helpline can help the district-level authority – headed by the Deputy Commissioner – to take legal action.

Mr. Kuttar said that whenever an application was filed before the education department seeking permission to open a new institution it should be discussed in the authority first to know whether there was a need for a new institution in the particular area where it would be started. If the authority felt that it was needed then permission should be granted.

He said that the authority should hold more meetings in the district and taluk levels to know the measures taken to prevent donation menace in schools and colleges.