Good news is in the offing for all those parents who complain of undue fee hike by private schools. For,the Chandigarh Administration has sent a proposal to the Central government seeking sanction to set up a Regulatory Commission. Not only the body will regulate hike in fees of private,including minority,schools,but will also regulate prices fixed by private publishers in respect of NCERT books. A detailed proposal was sent to the Ministry of Human Resource Development in this regard a fortnight back. This was conveyed by the Chandigarh Administration to the Punjab and Haryana High Court during the resumed hearing of a public interest litigation (PIL) on Friday. The administration has noted that the Punjab Education Code deprives the administration of setting up such a regulatory body. As a result,the administration has sought separate legislation. In an affidavit,the Chandigarh Administration on Friday submitted that it was found that regulatory body can be established either by appropriate amendments in the School Education Act or by making a separate legislation or by administrative orders issued under the existing provisions. It reads that there is no provision in the Punjab Education Code to establish regulatory mechanism. The Delhi School Education Act is not extended to Chandigarh and Chandigarh has no legislature of its own to establish such regulatory body. Therefore,the matter now has been sent for approval from the competent authority of Central government. In the proposal to set up regulatory mechanism for recognised schools,the administration has submitted that the regulatory mechanism will perform three functions. Firstly,to prescribe only NCERT textbooks for private schools and to regulate the prices fixed by the private publishers in respect of such books. Secondly,to ensure that any increase in the fees undertaken by a particular school is justified and necessitated by other circumstances such as increase in expenditure or because of developmental activities and further to keep a check that such funds are not being diverted elsewhere. Thirdly,the proposed legislation will define the constitution of regulatory authority comprising the chairperson and members,its functions,powers and other related administrative issues. In another significant proposal,the administration has asked the Central government for extending the limits of neighbourhood area as prescribed under the Right to Education Act. A proposal to extend the limits of neighbourhood for the purpose of filling up the requisite percentage of seats for children was prepared by the Education Department. For classes up to sixth,admission shall first be offered to eligible students belonging to EWS and disadvantaged group residing within one km of the specific schools. The proposal reads that in case the vacancies remain unfilled,students residing within 3 kms of the schools shall be admitted. Students residing beyond 3 kms shall be admitted only in case vacancies remain unfilled even after considering all the students within 3-km area. For classes VIth to VIIth,the proposal states that admission shall first be offered to eligible students belonging to EWS and disadvantaged group residing within 3 kms of the specific schools. Students residing beyond 3 kms shall be admitted only in case vacancies remain unfilled after considering all students within 3 kms area. The administration has asked the ministry to advise whether the administration is empowered to extend the limits of neighbourhood or the Central government will do so.
