Children Education Allowance Scheme (CEA) Latest FAQ

Children Education Allowance Scheme (CEA) Latest FAQ

No. 21011/08/2013-Estt.(AL)Government of IndiaMinistry of Personnel, Public Grievances and Pensions

Department of Personnel & Training

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Establishment (Allowances) Section
Children Education Allowance Scheme (CEA)
Si. No.	Frequently asked Questions	Answer
1.	Whether        Reimbursement        of Children Education Allowance (CEA)          for       3rd           child       is permissible if CEA has not been claimed for 1st and or 2′ child?        As      per     OM      dated 2.9.2008 CEA             is admissible for two school going children does it mean any two school going children?	No. Reimbursement of CEA is not permissible for third child even if reimbursement has not been claimed in respect of first and/or second child. However,         as      per      OM       No.12011/03/2008- Estt.(AL)          dated       11.11.2008,          the      Children Education Allowance would be admissible for more than two children where as a result of the second child birth results in birth of twins or multiple children.              Further, reimbursement of CEA for the 3′ child is also admissible in case of failure         of      sterilization       operation.             Such reimbursement• is admissible only for the first child birth after failure of sterilization operation. This       point     was     further     clarified      vide     O.M. No.12011/16/2009-Allowance) dated 13.11.2009.
2.	What         types       of       fee       are reimbursable? Whether Annual Charges and Transportation              fees           are reimbursable? Whether                   reimbursement towards        purchase      of school bag,       water      bottle,     uniform, shoes          and        stationery        is admissible? ,	As per OM No.12011/03/2008-Estt.(AL) dated 2.9.2008, tuition fee, admission fee, laboratory fee,        special       fee       charged       for      agriculture, electronics,        music     or    any    other     subject,      fee charged for practical work under the programme of work experience, fee paid for the use of any aid or       appliances       by      the      child,       library      fee, games/sports        fee and fee           for extra-curricular activities are reimbursable subject to the condition that the aforementioned fee are charged by the school directly from the student. No reimbursement is permissible for Annual Charges         and      Transportation        fees.      Besides, reimbursement for purchase of one set of text books and notebooks, two                  sets of uniforms prescribed by the school in which the child is studying, one pair of shoes, in an academic year are reimbursable. Uniform include all items of clothing prescribed for a day, as uniform by the school, irrespective of colours/winter/summer/PT uniforms.         Reimbursement        of      school       bags, pens/pencils, water bottle, stationery etc., may not be allowed.           O.M. No.12011/08/2010-Estt.(AL) dated 30.12.2010and O.M. No.12011/07(i)/2011- Estt.(AL) dated 21.02.2012 refers
3.	Whether           CEA        has       been increased by 25% as a result of	This Department’s OM No.12011/03/ 2008- Estt.(AL) dated 2.9.2008  clearly indicates that the

	. enhancement          of        Dearness Allowances beyond 50%?	. limits “would be automatically raised by 25% every time the Dearness Allowance on the revised pay structure goes up by 50%”. There is no need for any separate order from this Department to effect enhancement of CEA as a result of increase in DA by 50%. However, O.M. No.12011/01/2011-Estt.(Allowance)             dated 4th May, 2011, has been issued to clarify this further.
4.	Whether CEA can be claimed for the child for the same class twice?	The reimbursement of CEA is not linked to the performance of the child in his class.                Even if a child fails in a particular class, the reimbursement is permissible. However, if the child is admitted in the same class in another school, although the child has passed out of the same class in previous school or in the mid-session, CEA shall not be reimbursable.
5.	Whether CEA/Hostel Subsidy is allowed for initial two years of Diploma Courses?	Children Education Allowance/Hostel Subsidy is allowed for the initial two years of a diploma/ certificate           course          from         Polytechnic/ITI/ Engineering College, if the child pursues the course      after passing          10th •standard       and    the Government       servant      has      not     been     granted CEA/Hostel Subsidy in respect of the child for studies in 11th and 12th standards. This is further subject to fulfillment of other conditions laid down in the O.M. No.12011/03/2008-Estt.(AL) dated 2.9.2008 and subsequent instructions issued from time to time.
6.	What is hostel subsidy?	The term Hostel Subsidy would mean expenses incurred by the Government servant if he/she keeps his/her children in a hostel of a residential school/institution located beyond a distance of 50 kilometers from his/her residence.
7.	Whether       Hostel      subsidy      is reimbursable        irrespective       of transfer liability?	Hostel Subsidy is reimbursable to all Central Government Employees covered by the scheme, for keeping         their ward        in    the    Hostel     of a residential school away from the station in which the employee is posted or residing irrespective of any transfer liability.
8.	Whether Hostel subsidy can be reimbursed       if     the     child      is ‘ staying in a Hostel which is not part of residential school where he is studying?	No.     Hostel subsidy is reimbursable only in case of child studying in a residential school and staying in hostel of the said residential school.
9.	What are the components of hostel subsidy?	Hostel subsidy includes fee charged for boarding, lodging in addition to fee as mentioned in para 1(e) of OM No. 12011/03/ 2008-Estt.(AL) dated 2.9.2008.
10.	Whether a Government servant is allowed to get 50% of the	Reimbursement of 50% of the entitled amount for the academic year can be allowed in the first

	total amount subject to the overall annual ceiling in the first quarter and the remaining amount in third and/or fourth quarter?	and/or second quarter and the remaining amount can be reimbursed in the third and/or fourth quarter.      The entire entitled amount can also be reimbursed       in     the     last     quarter.         However, frontloading of the entire admissible amount is not      permissible.        O.M.      No.12011/07(0/2011- Estt.(AL) dated 21.02.2012 refers.
11.	Whether any          age     limit has been              prescribed                for reimbursement        of      CEA      in respect of children studying in nursery classes?	There       is     no     minimum      age     prescribed      for reimbursement of CEA in respect of children admitted in nursery classes. However, with regard to physically challenged children the minimum age of 5 (five) years was prescribed for disabled children undergoing non‑ formal/vocational education. With effect from 21st February, 2012, the minimum age stipulated as 5 years for disabled children stand removed. Hence, there is no minimum age of child for whom reimbursement is claimed irrespective of the fact whether the child is disabled or not. The maximum age for normal child is 20 years and      for     physically      challenged      children      the maximum           age         is         22          years.          O.M. No.12011/07(ii)/2011-Estt.(AL) dated 21.02.2012 refers.
12.	Whether the school/institution should be recognized?	The school/institution has to be recognized by the Central         or       State        Government         or       UT administration or by University or a recognized educational authority having jurisdiction over the area where the institution is situated.               This also applies in respect of children studying in two classes prior to Class-I, i.e., nursery/LKG/UKG, etc. OM No.            12011/03/ 2008-Estt.(AL) dated 23.11.2009.
13.	Whether CEA is payable for The children of           Central Government        employees      and studying        abroad,       including children          of        citizens         of Nepal/Bhutan but working in Government of India, and their children      are    studying     in the schools in their native place?	The CEA is payable for the children of all Central Government       employees      including      citizens     of Nepal      and     Bhutan,      who     are     employees      of Government of India, and whose children are studying          in    the     native     place.     However,      a certificate may be obtained from the concerned Indian Mission that the school is recognized by the educational authority having jurisdiction over the area where the institution is situated.
14.	What constitutes “Fee” as per para 1(e) of the O.M. dated 2/9/2008 and whether fee paid	“Fee” shall mean fee paid to the school in which the       child       is      studying,       directly        by      the parents/guardian for the items mentioned in para

	for extra-curricular activities to some        other       institute       and reimbursement of, school bags, pens/pencils,        etc.,     can         be allowed? Is there any item- wise ceiling?	1(e) of the O.M. dated 2/9/2008. Reimbursement of school bags, pens/pencils, etc., may not be allowed.       There is no item-wise ceiling. O.M. No.12011/07(i)/2011-Estt.(AL) dated 21.02.2012 refers.
15.	Whether reimbursement can be allowed      in case the original receipts       are     misplaced      and duplicate receipts are produced by the Government servant? Are        the       original       receipts required         to       be        attested/ countersigned/ rubber stamped by the school authorities?	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/rubber        stamped     by     the     school authorities. O.M. No.12011/07(i)/2011-Estt.(AL) dated 21.02.2012 refers.
16.	Whether                    Development Fee/Parents’                Contribution charged                   by                  the school/institution                            is reimbursable?	Reimbursement of Development                 Fee/Parents’ Contribution      is allowed       w.e.f.     21st February, 2012, vide O.M. No.12011/07(ii)/2011-Estt.(AL) dated 21.02.2012, on pro-rata basis, subject to the condition that the Government servant will have to certify that the school does not charge tuition fee. However,      in respect of children studying                  in Kendriya Vidyalaya, the Vidyalaya Vikas Nidhi is reimburseable as it forms part of para 1(e) of O.M.      No.12011/3/2008-Estt.(Allowance)               dated 2.9.2008.                        O.M.             No.12011/16/2009- Estt.(Allowances) dated 13.11.2009 refers.
17.	Whether reimbursement of fee charged directly by the school for      catering      to     the     special needs        of      the      child       with disabilities duly certified by the             concerned              school authorities, in addition to items mentioned in para 1(e) of O.M. dated 2.9.2008, is permissible?	Reimbursement of fee charged directly by the school for catering to the special needs of the child      with    disabilities     duly    certified      by    the concerned school authorities, in addition to items mentioned in para 1(e) of O.M. dated 2.9.2008, is allowed w.e.f. 21st February, 2012.

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http://ccis.nic.in/WriteReadData/CircularPortal/D2/D02est/Allowance-25032013.pdf