No More Free Ride: Online Academies, Teachers to Face Tax Under New FBR Plan

The federal government has approved a proposal to tax online private educational institutions and academies. The Federal Board of Revenue (FBR) Chairman Rashid Mehmood Langrial recently said some online academies are earning up to Rs. 20 to 30 million but remain outside the tax net and will now be taxed. Also, individual teachers earning income through online platforms will also be brought under the tax regime. Meanwhile, the Punjab University Academic Staff Association (PUASA) has demanded immediate revisions to both federal and provincial higher education budgets. The council has also passed a resolution urging the Punjab government to increase recurring grants for public sector universities. They also opposed the proposed withdrawal of the tax rebate for university teachers.