Private school fee regulation: Telangana HC issues notices to govt
Telangana High Court has issued notices to the state government on a plea seeking a proper mechanism to regulate the fee structure in private unaided schools.
By Newsmeter Network Published on 20 Oct 2021 3:19 AM GMT
Hyderabad: Telangana High Court has issued notices to the state government on a plea seeking a proper mechanism to regulate the fee structure in private unaided schools.
A bench of Chief Justice Satish Chandra Sharma and Justice A. Rajashekar Reddy instructed the Principal Secretary of Education and the Director of School Education to explain the government stand.
The PIL was filed by K. Venkat Sainath, joint secretary of Hyderabad School Parents Association. The petitioner said that there is no mechanism to monitor and resolve the grievances related to tuition fees in private schools.
The petitioner contended that the absence of a regulatory mechanism gives rise to arbitrary discretionary powers to the schools to determine tuition fees and other components. He contended that it is a violation of Article 14 of the Constitution and the Right to Education.
"This was in violation of Article 14 and Article 21A and the Telangana Educational Institutions (Regulation of Admissions and Prohibition of Capitation Fee) Act, 1983 and Telangana Education Act, 1982," Sainath said.
He said most states had established a fee monitoring mechanism.
The petitioner said that Andhra Pradesh had the established AP School Education Regulatory and Monitoring Commission. The AP government issued orders to fix fee structures in private unaided schools for three academic years from 2021-22. These schools would have to approach the commission to enhance the fee, Sainath said.
He sought a direction to the government to modify GO No. 75 of June 28, 2021, instructing private schools to collect only 40% of tuition fee for 2021-22 as a relief to parents.
