Regulating school fees,no report from panel yet

A 19-member committee that was set up by the state government three months back to decide on the norms of a fee regulatory body...

A 19-member committee that was set up by the state government three months back to decide on the norms of a fee regulatory body to be set up to regulate the fee structures of schools in the state has not come up with any report yet even as the state government had announced that it would come up with the framework by August 10. Now,with the election code of conduct in place,even if the committee decides something in the next few days,it cannot be announced till October end meaning the whole idea of fee regulation will get postponed to the next academic year. The experts fear that if the next government takes some other stand on it,the whole efforts should be wasted.

There was a growing demand from parents to have a proper check on the incessant hike in fees and donations taken during admissions to schools. Taking cognisance the state government set up a committee under the chairmanship of former bureaucrat Kumud Bansal. The committee was given the task to decide on the framework of a fee regulatory body should have to control the fees of schools.

It may be recalled that on July 25,education minister Radhakrishna Vikhe- Patil during his visit to Pune had assured that the committee would come up with the report in 15 days so that the screws could be tightened from this academic year itself. However,even after six meetings that were held in the last three months,the committee could not come with any framework.

Ramesh Panse,prominent educationist and one of the senior members of the committee confirmed that the committee still had to submit its report. The committee members met five to six times during the last six months. However,a concrete framework is yet to be developed, he said.

Arundhati Chavan,another member of the committee who represents parents-teachers organisations,said the committee should have come up with the report in the last month itself. Some of the members were constantly demanding that the framework should be decided as soon as possible so that the fee regulatory body comes into existence relieving parents. However,the committee is moving typically as per any government body, she said.

Chavan said the committee would hold a meeting on September 15. Though this may be the final meeting of the committee,as the election code of conduct is in place,the report could not be announced by the government, she said

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