CBSE has asked every affiliated school to move its money matters online. The Board wants fees, canteen bills, library charges and other payments to run on digital channels like UPI and RuPay. The message to school heads and managers is practical: open up digital payment options everywhere money changes hands, and teach parents and staff how to use them safely.
The push follows a Digital Payments Promotion Plan prepared by the Department of Financial Services (DFS) under the Ministry of Finance. That plan covers the whole education setup, schools, students and parents, with the goal of widening access and making day-to-day payments safer.
CBSE digital payments in schools: the three areas schools must work on
The circular groups the advice into three parts.
Universal Acceptance Infrastructure
- Schools may enable digital payments, including UPI and RuPay card, across all payment touch-points such as fees, canteens, libraries and other services.
- Schools in low-connectivity areas may adopt UPI Lite, UPI LiteX and UPI 123PAY. The last one lets people pay through feature phones without internet, which helps where the network is weak.
- Demonstrations and assisted-usage models may be promoted so first-time users find it easy to start.
BBPS Integration for Fee Payments
- Schools may onboard onto the Bharat Bill Payment System (BBPS) for standardized, secure and interoperable fee collection. BBPS is a single platform through which different bills can be paid and tracked.
- Schools may link it with their ERP systems to streamline recurring payments, including salaries paid to staff.
Awareness and Digital Literacy
- Digital payment awareness may be built into teacher training programmes and school-level campaigns.
- Financial literacy modules covering digital payments may be promoted.
- Awareness campaigns may be run for parents to encourage safe, convenient use.
- Schools may hold awareness drives on campus, during events and through parent-teacher interactions.
The Board has framed these as advisory measures for heads and managers, not a one-size fixed rule. The practical takeaway for parents: expect UPI, RuPay and BBPS-based options to show up at more school counters, from the fee desk to the canteen. For schools, the work is to set up the rails and run the awareness drives that go with them.