Private school questions govt authority to cancel proposed fee hike

JAIPUR: A city-based school has questioned the authority of state education department for directing it to cancel hiked admission fees. The school, BVB Vidyashram, was directed by the district education department to cancel the fee hike which was not in tune with the Rajasthan School (Regulation of fees) Act-2016 or to face action up to losing no objection certificate (NOC).
Experts view that state has no role in determining the fees under the Rajasthan Private School Fees Act. The Act mandates fee fixation role is exclusive to a school-level fee committee which includes five parents and five from the school management. However, section 18 of the act empowers state to issue directions to any school to comply with provision of the act. In the case (Vidhyashram), it is alleged that school has not constituted any school level fee committee.

State has also sharply reacted on the school challenging its authority. A fresh directive on April 23, accusing the school of violating the Act by not forming the school level fees committee and holding meetings as per the act. “The school is running due to the NOC provided by the state. CBSE has provided the recognition to them on the basis of the NOC. If they didn’t comply, state is bound to cancel their NOC,” read the order. State has also reminded the school that they are competent authority to interfere in the affairs.

Undeterred by government's move, Vimal Chand Surana, chairman of the advisory committee Vidhyashram School told TOI that they would like to know from the state under which rules, they have served notice to them putting a stay on the revised fee.’ The school has also clarified that they are not charging fees from the parents since government has summoned them to appear on April 26.

Damodar Goyal, educationist says that if the fee approved from duly constituted school fee committee and thereafter the state has no right to interfere in the matter. “Only the management of the school can file a revision/ appeal before the divisional fee committee,” said Goyal.