School associations to challenge fee reduction GR

Nagpur: The state government’s August 12 GR directing all schools to cut their 2021-22 fee by 15% will be challenged in court, say school associations. The GR also makes it clear that all fee-related disputes now need to be put before the divisional fee regulatory committee (DFRC) and its decision will be final.
Sanjay Tayde-Patil, founder-president of Maharashtra English Schools Trustees Association (Mesta), said the state GR is a mere ‘optical illusion’. “The government is misleading parents and creating rifts between them and schools. Let us all be very clear that the government has no powers to interfere in the fee issue. We are definitely going to approach the high court and request for a stay on this particular GR,” said Tayde-Patil.
Rajendra Singh, president of Independent English Schools Association (Iesa), said, “We are approaching the court next week. This GR is simply a populist move with no legal foundation. There is simply no legal basis for the GR and everyone knows that it’s outside the law’s ambit.”
Unaided Schools Forum, which had challenged a similar GR of May 2020, is also approaching the court over alleged harassment by education officials. SC Kedia, honorary secretary of USF, said, “Our members are being threatened regularly by education officials with cancellation of NOC, which has to be renewed every three years. Our draft petition is ready and the legal process shall start soon against all excesses of the education department.”
Last month, school education minister Varsha Gaikwad told TOI that the plan was to bring an ordinance regarding school fee reduction. Why the government changed the plan at the last minute is a surprise.
Leader of opposition Devendra Fadnavis on Thursday termed the GR as an ‘eyewash’. A similar GR issued by the government in May 2020 was also challenged
Advocate Willson Matthew, who has represented many schools in different legal disputes, said the current GR is unlikely to withstand scrutiny in court. Matthew said, “This talks about 2021-22 session, whereas there is nothing about it in the Supreme Court order which the GR quotes.”
The DFRC can be approached only if minimum 25% of parents come together as a group.