UP assembly passes bill to check arbitrary hike in school fee

The Uttar Pradesh Assembly today passed a bill to check arbitrary hike in fees of private schools.

The UP Self-Financed Independent Schools (Fees Regulation) Bill, 2018, that seeks to regulate fee structure in private schools in the state, was passed by voice vote.

It will replace the ordinance promulgated in April when the state legislature was not in session.

The statement of objectives and reasons appended to the bill states that it has been brought to the notice of the state government that self-financed schools were increasing fees arbitrarily without consulting guardians of the students in the absence of an effective law.

It elaborates that the students and parents have to shoulder unnecessary financial burden, which affects the education of students.

The statement further says that in view of the above circumstances, the government has decided to make a law to provide for fixation of fees in self-financed independent schools.

The bill provides for setting up of district regulatory committees headed by the district magistrate.

The committees will include a chartered accountant, a PWD engineer not below the rank of the executive engineer and senior officer from the UP State Finance and Accounts Services.

The committee will also include a representative of parents association, an eminent principal or manager of self-financed schools and district inspector of schools.