Private school associations object to draft fee regulation bill, send letter to chief secretary

Jaipur: Private school bodies have objected to the proposed draft of the Rajasthan Education Institutions (Regulation of Fee) Bill 2016 which gives parents a say in deciding the fees of their wards. In a letter to chief secretary CS Rajan, they contended that several clauses in the bill are in violation with the Supreme Court orders.
The Act says that a 10-member School Level Fee Committee (SLFC) including five parents and three teachers, principal and a chairman of the school managing committee are to decide the fees, six months before the new session.
"The SLFC will have only one member from the management out of 10 members. This will result in statutory transfer of the right to determine the fee to parents and teachers. Whereas the management alone has a right to establish and administer the unaided private educational institution," said Damodar Goyal, president of Society for Private Unaided Schools in Rajasthan.
The letter also reads that in the recent years parents-teachers association has become an instrument to disturb the tranquillity of unaided private schools and dictate its terms to the administration and management of the schools.
The proposed bill says that the school management shall submit the details of the proposed fee along with the relevant record to SLFC for its approval at least six months before the commencement of the next academic year. While giving the approval SLFC shall have the authority to decide the fee.
"The said proposal has reduced the authority of the management to the proposer and parents and teachers have been given the authority to approve or decide the amount of fee afresh. This provision is not acceptable as it is violation of fundamental right under Article 19(1)(g)," said Goyal.
He was reacting to the draft provision which says that if the difference between the fee decided by the management and the fees approved by the Committee is not more than 15 percent, then the fees shall be binding on the management.
Also, if the difference is more than 15 percent then management may appeal to the divisional fee regulatory committee within a period of 30 days from the date of such communication under sub-section (3) in such manner as may be prescribed.
"This provision will provide an opportunity foul play by parents and teachers by keeping the difference less than 15% so that the fee approved by it is binding on the management," read the letter. The state education department is likely to bring the new law before the annual exam so that it can be executed from beginning of the coming session.Jaipur: Private school bodies have objected to the proposed draft of the Rajasthan Education Institutions (Regulation of Fee) Bill 2016 which gives parents much say in deciding the fees of their wards. In a letter to the chief secretary, CS Rajan, they contended that several clauses in the bill are in violation to the Supreme Court orders.
The act says that a 10 member School Level Fee Committee (SLFC) including five parents and three teachers, principal and a chairman of the school managing committee to decide the fees six months before the new session.
"The SLFC will have only one member from the management out of ten members will result in statutory transfer of the right to determine the fee to parents and teachers. Whereas the management alone has a right to establish and administer the unaided private educational institution," said Damodar Goyal, president of Society for Private Unaided Schools in Rajasthan.
The letter also reads that in the recent years Parents-Teachers Association has become in instrument to disturb tranquility of unaided private schools and dictate its terms on the administration and management of the schools.
The proposed bill says that the management of the school shall submit the details of the proposed fee along with the relevant record to the SLFC for its approval at least six month before the commencement of the next academic year while giving the approval the SLFC shall have the authority to decide the amount of fee afresh.
"The said proposal has reduced the authority of the management to the proposer and parents and teachers have been clothed with the authority to approve or decide the amount of fee afresh. This provision is not acceptable in the eyes of law being violation of fundamental right under Article 19(1)(g)," said Goyal.
Reacting on the daft provision which says that if the difference between the fee decided by the management and the fees approved by the Committee is not more than fifteen per cent, then the fees shall be binding on the management.
Secondly, if the difference is more than fifteen per cent then management may prefer an appeal to the divisional fee regulatory committee within a period of thirty days from the date of such communication under sub-section (3) in such manner as may be prescribed."
"This provision will provide an opportunity for a play of foul game by the Parents-Teachers by keeping the difference less than 15% so that the fee approved by it become binding on the management," read letter. State education department is likely to bring the new law before the annual exam so that it can be executed from the start of the coming session.