Raj Govt to issue ordinance on fee regulatory commission

The measure to constitute a fee regulatory commission will take shape by the end of June this year, this was stated today by Additional Advocate General (AAG) N A Naquvi before the High Court which was hearing a PIL challenging "exorbitant" fee hike by private schools in every academic year.

The division bench of Chief Justice Arun Mishra and Justice Mahesh Bhagwati on Thursday granted time till second week of July to the government to do the needful.

"I have personally talked to the Chief Secretary and Principal Secretary Education and the process has been finalised.

"We will bring an ordinance in this regard as the legislature is not in session," Naquvi told the court.

The court directed state government to act sincerely in the matter before the next session of such private schools commences in July.

The state government was pulled up by the high court after the PIL highlighted that earlier also a committee headed by Rtd. Justice P K Tiwari was constituted and it suggested various measures in 2006 itself to check unwarranted hike and irrational fees charged by private schools.

But the government took no steps and the report failed to see light of the day.

According to sources, the law will be on the lines of the one in Tamil Nadu but will address the local needs.

Care is being taken that the parents are not burdened by the unjust fee structures introduced at any point of time without prior notice in any academic session as also no institution is allowed to charge unnecessary money in name of uniform, excursion, etc, the AAG said.

The high court will be informed about the final outcome on the draft of the bill to be prepared in this regard in three weeks, he said, adding the government will constitute a fee regulatory authority headed by a reitred high court judge as its chairman under this new proposed law.

Private education institution have been contending that the state governments cannot interfere in the affairs of the private schools and their decision to raise the fee.