CBSE Urges Schools to Expand Digital Payments, Focus on Safe Transactions
CBSE has advised affiliated schools to expand digital payment options for fees and services while promoting safe transactions and financial literacy.
The Central Board of Secondary Education (CBSE) has advised its affiliated schools to expand digital payment facilities across various school-related services. The initiative follows communication from the Department of Financial Services under the Ministry of Finance and focuses on improving access while encouraging safe digital transactions.
Schools have been encouraged to offer digital payment options at multiple touchpoints, including fee collection, canteens, libraries and other services. UPI and RuPay cards have been suggested as payment options. For institutions operating in areas with limited internet connectivity, CBSE has also highlighted alternatives such as UPI Lite, UPI LiteX and UPI 123PAY.
The advisory also recommends demonstrations and assisted payment facilities for students, parents and staff who may need help using digital payment systems. Basically, the goal is not just to put up a QR code and hope everyone figures it out.
CBSE has further suggested that schools consider onboarding onto the Bharat Bill Payment System (BBPS) for standardised and interoperable fee collection. Payment facilities may also be integrated with school Enterprise Resource Planning (ERP) systems to streamline recurring financial transactions.
Alongside infrastructure, the Board has emphasised digital financial literacy. Schools have been encouraged to include digital payment awareness in teacher training programmes, student financial literacy initiatives and campaigns for parents.
Awareness sessions can be organised on campuses, during school events and through parent-teacher interactions. The broader objective is to ensure that students, parents and staff understand not only how to make digital payments but also how to use them safely.
With the advisory, CBSE is pushing schools towards wider adoption of digital financial systems while placing equal emphasis on awareness, accessibility and responsible usage.
