Assam Government formed high-powered committees to fix tuition & other fees issue

STAFF REPORTER

GUWAHATI: The Assam Government has constituted two high-powered committees to fix the tuition and other fees in private schools across the State.

The government has made the above submission before the Gauhati High Court in response to a PIL filed by Nayandhiju Sharma who alleged that the private schools are charging exorbitant fees, adding that the State government has no control over these educational institutions to regulate the fees. The PIL was filed in 2018.

Addressing the media here on Thursday, advocate Momikshya Aruna Ozah said that the Assam government through its counter affidavit has informed the High Court that during pendency of these PILs (another PIL filed in 2019 on the same issue), the State Government has come out with a statute, known as 'The Assam Non-Government Educational Institutions (Regulation of Fees) Act-2018' (hereinafter referred to as the 'Regulation of Fees Act-2018').

Advocate Ozah further said that the State Government has submitted before the High Court that the 'Regulation of Fees Act-2018' is an extremely exhaustive statute which addresses, inter alia, almost the entire concerns raised by the petitioner before the Court.

"Under the provisions of the 'Regulation of Fees Act-2018', a 'Regulatory Committee' has been constituted by the State Government which is headed by a District Judge (Retired). The orders of this Committee can again be taken in appeal/revision before another committee which is headed by a retired Judge of the High Court.

The State Government also informed the High Court that the other issues — such as charging additional fees and a host of other grievances raised in the PILs — are also taken care of by the 'Regulation of Fees Act-2018'," pointed out advocate Ozha while quoting the State Government's counter affidavit.

The State Government in its counter affidavit has also mentioned a table fixing annual fees for various classes in private schools. As per this table, the annual fees from pre-primary and Class I to Class V is Rs 27,000 followed by Rs 32,000 for Class VI to X, Rs 37,000 for Science stream, Rs 32,000 for Arts stream, Rs 33,000 for Commerce stream and Rs 35,000 for other stream.

The government has submitted before the High Court that schools charging more than the fees fixed in the table will have to submit proposal for approval and fixation of fees in accordance with the provision of the 'Assam Non-Government Educational Institutions (Regulation of Fees) Act-2018'.

Meanwhile, president of the 'Guardian Association of Private/Public Undertaking School Students' — who was also present at the press conference — Sobhan Kumar Medhi said that the parents and guardians must remain alert so that the schools cannot charge fees more than the amount fixed by the State Government.

Medhi pointed out that the Gauhati High Court, while closing the PILs, has kept its door open in case any parent or guardian has any grievance in case of fees.

"We, however, make it clear that in case there are grievances which still remain unaddressed, the petitioners will always be at liberty to approach this Court by way of writ petition," said Medhi while quoting the order of the High Court.

Also Read: Students express concern over 'poor' state of Science building in Bhattadev University

Also Watch: AIUDF's Aminul Islam Receives Warm Welcome at Mankachar