Children Education Allowance can be claimed even in case of loss of fee receipts

Whether Children Education Allowance can be allowed if the employee lost the original School fee receipt ?

Till now, the CEA granting authorities were straightaway denying the CEA on the ground of non-production of original school receipts.

The DOPT has now clarified on this issue that in case of misplacement of School fee receipts, reimbursement may be allowed if the Government servant produces a duplicate receipt, duly authenticated by the school authorities.

This Clarification has been issued by DOPT in its Office Memorandum No.12011/07(i)/2011-Estt.(AL) dated 21.02.2012, along with other clarifications on the basis of doubts raised by Central Government Employees and various Ministries and Departments.

No.12011/07(i)/2011-Estt.(AL)

Government of India

Ministry of Personnel, Public Grievances and Pensions

Department of Personnel and Training

New Delhi, 21st February, 2012

OFFICE MEMORANDUM

Subject: Children Education Allowance – Clarification.

The undersigned is directed to refer to Department of Personnel & Training’s O.M. No.12011/03/2008—Estt.(Allowance) dated 2nd September, 2008, and subsequent clarifications issued from time to time on the subject cited above, and to state that various Ministries / Departments have been seeking clarifications on various aspects of the Children Education Allowance / Hostel Subsidy. The doubts raised by various authorities are clarified as under:

S.No.	Point of reference/doubts	Clarification
1.	What constitute “Fee” as per para 1(c) of the O.M. dated 2/9/2008 and whether fee paid for extra-curricular activities to some other institute and reimbursement of, school bags, pen/pencils. etc., can be allowed? Is there any item-wise ceiling?	“Fee’ shall mean fee paid to the school in which the child is studding, directly by the parents/guardian for the items mentioned in para 1(e) of the O.M.dated 2/9/2008. Reimbursement of school bags, pens/pencils, etc., may not he allowed. There is no item-wise ceiling.
2.	Whether reimbursement can be allowed in case the original receipts are misplaced and duplicate receipts are produced by the Government servant?	In case of misplacement of receipts given by the school/institution towards charges received from the parents/guardian, reimbursement may be allowed if the Government servant produces a duplicate receipt, duly authenticated by the school authorities. Receipts from private parties, other than the school, if misplaced shall not be , entertained, even if a duplicate receipt is produced. Original receipts from school authorities need not be attested / countersigned stamped by the school authorities.
3.	Whether the Government servant is allowed to get 50% of the total amount subject to the overall annual ceiling in the first quarter and the remaining amount in third and or fourth quarter?	Reimbursement of 50% of the entitled amount for the academic year could be allowed in the first and/or second quarter and the remaining amount could be reimbursed in the third and/or fourth quarter. However,the entire entitled amount can be reimbursed in the last quarter.
4.	It is provided that whenever the DA increases by 50% the CEA will increase by 25%. What shall be the date of effect of such enhancement?	Any enhancement in the ceiling of reimbursement per annum due to increase in DA by 50%, shall be applicable on pro-rata basis from the date of increase in DA, subject to actual expenditure during the quarter.