Fee hike: schools to challenge GR

Private unaided schools will file a fresh case before the Bombay HC challenging the recent fee hike notification by the state. Counsel Navroz Seervai,appearing for the schools,told the court on Tuesday that the latest GR by school education and sports department ignores the Bansal report.

In December 2009,following a bunch of petitions filed by private unaided schools challenging a government resolution (GR) dated May 8,2009,the court had put the onus on the government after directing that “it would be appropriate that the government and the competent authority take decisions related to fee structure well in advance,so that prior to commencement of academic session,all schools,students,parents and the parents-teachers association (PTA) know what fees they have to pay and if the students can take admissions in a given school”.

Last year,state had frozen the fee hikes in private schools after some parents’ organisation protested. This was challenged,and the HC stayed this order. A GR on May 8,2009 said fee could not be increased without the nod of a proposed fee regulatory committee. Later,government appointed Kumud Bansal panel to study the issue. It favouredschools and held they should have autonomy to decide fees.

Seervai on Tuesday submitted that as per court directive the government gave them a hearing and also filed a compliance report following the fresh GR,but did not take into account the committee report. The GR says private schools will have to submit fee hike proposals to a committee formed by director of education for scrutiny. Seervai urged the court to continue the stay till they file a fresh petition.