Members of Students Federation of India (SFI) staged protests in several towns and cities on Sunday against donation menace in private colleges.

They raised slogans against the Union and State governments and demanded the formation of a District Education Regulatory Authority, a task force to stop the menace.

They sought a standard mechanism to take action against private schools and colleges that collect donations and exorbitant fees from students.

Protests were staged in Haveri, Ranebennur and other areas.

SFI district leader Arun Nagawat said that some private educational institutions across the State have already completed the admission process for 2026-27 in violation of State government rules and the Education Act of 1983 and the RTE Act of 2009.

On the one hand, private schools are springing up like mushrooms and on the other, government Kannada medium schools are closing down in the State.

They are collecting huge donations. Children of poor, backward and Dalit minorities are finding it impossible to study in schools due to donations in private schools.

Some schools and colleges are also illegally collecting fees for tuition, tutorial, CSC, CBSC and other courses. Some PU colleges are running special institutions in the name of JEE, NEET, CET and other examinations.

According to rules, aided educational institutions and unaided educational institutions are allowed to collect only development fees as prescribed by the government. But this cannot be done by force and cannot cross the limits.

Some educational institutions are conducting entrance examinations for elementary classes, in violation of rules, they said.

Their demands include setting up of a District Education Regulatory Authority and Anti-Donation Committee and action against educational institutions that collect donations.

Deputy Commissioners and Tahsildars should hold meetings of heads of educational institutions and heads of the Education Department, parents and representatives of student organizations to stop donations.

A Central legislation should be implemented that empowers the State government to regulate private educational institutions. Schools and colleges should hold meetings of parents to resolve issues of students.

Student leaders Shivakumar Hottigaudru, Shashank Ujjana Gowda, Paramesh Mallad, Nitish Barki, Tarun Korkali, Nagaraj Lamani, Vinayak Madiwalara, Parashuram Nagpur, Mohammed Jeker, Chetan Uppara, Vinay Doddamani, Beeresh Halavagalu, Jayant Davangere, Harish Nayak, Kumar Chaudki, Darshan G., Beeresh N., Darshan C., Basavaraj P. and many students participated.