438 pvt schools yet to refund excess fees charged: govt to HC

As many as 438 private schools in the national capital are yet to refund the excess fees charged by them, the AAP government told the Delhi High Court today.
The submission was made by the Delhi government's Directorate of Education (DoE) in an affidavit filed in response to the court's query on why its directions as well as the recommendations of an expert panel to refund the excess fees charged by the private schools have not been implemented.
Justice Anil Dev Committee, set up by the high court to review the fees of the private schools, had said that 531 institutions had charged excess fees and recommended that it should be refunded with nine per cent interest.

The DoE has said that 53, out of a total of 531 schools, have completely refunded the amounts charged by them on the pretext of implementing the Sixth Pay Commission. It also said that 40 schools have partially refunded the amounts.
Of the remaining 438 defaulting schools, several have sent representations to the DoE seeking review of the expert panel's recommendations, the department said in its affidavit.
It has also said after the court's May 23 order asking what steps have been taken, the Deputy Directors of Education have been asked to carry out special inspection of defaulting schools under their jurisdiction and examine their financial records and accounts.

The DoE has said its Regional Directors have been asked to issue necessary orders to all defaulting private unaided schools in their jurisdiction to ensure compliance of the recommendations of the committee and the court directions.
The court had set up the panel and also issued directions for refund of excess fees in 2011 on a plea by an NGO, Abhibhavak Mahasangh.
Thereafter, the NGO had moved the court claiming that over 500 private schools were yet to refund Rs 350 crore of excess fee taken from students on the pretext of implementing the Sixth Pay Commission and sought initiation of contempt proceedings against all such institutions.