Now, govt to keep tab on school fee hikes

Bangalore: Parents of students studying central syllabus can breathe easy as the High Court has brought CBSE and ICSE schools under the State Government control and the fees will be at affordable level.

In a landmark judgment Justice Nagmohan Das quashed the 1998 amendment to the Karnataka State Education Act-1983, which had kept CBSE and ICSE schools out of the preview of the act. As a consequence, the school managements had to follow government regulations while formulating admission policy, fee fixation, and teachers' wages and they have to take permission for running schools.

No limit

"There was no limit for the school fee because of which the managements had hiked it exorbitantly citing recession and other irrational reasons. Now, they can't do it," said M A Almas, president, Parachute Regiment School Parents Welfare Association, who is one of the petitioners that moved the court against the amendment, in 2009.

As per government regulations, an unaided school can collect a maximum annual fee of Rs 2,400 for primary education, while it is Rs 2,500, and Rs 2,600 for higher primary and secondary.

The Central schools are collecting a minimum of Rs 1,800 as monthly fee, apart from other charges including founder's day celebration, annual day, and sports day in addition to collecting money for uniform, shoes, books, and other things. In 2009 they had hiked the fee by 80 per cent to 180 per cent that prompted the parents associations to move the court.

Social welfare

Das said in the judgment, "The de-regulation of the schools had given way for social discrimination. The amendment was in violation of Article 14 that ensures right to equality."

He said as the school managements were availing government benefits including land sanction, water supply, and power supply at subsidised prices, and they must function keeping social welfare in mind.

While the schools have to adhere to the fee fixation policy, as per the court verdict, collecting donation and capitation fee will be illegal.

Welcoming the judgment, Visweswara Hegde Kageri, Minister for Primary and Secondary Education said, "It is a landmark judgment.

The government will take appropriate steps to regulate these schools, after studying the judgment." While the parents have expressed their happiness, the school managements are mulling over appealing to the high court against the judgment.