Private schools in Uttarakhand to be fined Rs 2 lakhs for charging arbitrary fees

Private schools in the state themselves will not be able to set the fees in arbitrary manner. The committee set up under the chairmanship of the District Magistrate will determine the fee. Private schools will have to pay a fine if they put pressure on the students to buy books or stationery or any kind of business activities, despite the restriction. If there is a violation of the other conditions, including excess fee recovery, the school would be fined two lakh rupees for violation. In case of more than two or repeated violations, the school’s recognition or non-objection certificate will be cancelled. The important thing is that private school operators will not go to jail in case of violation. In the draft of the fee act prepared during the previous Congress government, there was also provision for going to jail of private school operators.

While neighboring state Uttar Pradesh has bettered the implementation of the Fee Act, the Uttarakhand government is stepping forward cautiously in this matter. To curb the arbitrariness of the fees in public and private schools, the draft of the non-governmental self-financed education institution fee control and grievance redressal system has been finalized. In the draft of the proposed Act, the state government has given special attention to the objection of private school operators. In the draft of the Act prepared in the previous government, there was excess fee recovery and business activities equivalent to the category of serious offenses. Private school operators had strongly objected to this. The provision of going to jail in the draft of the new Act has not been included. The government has prepared this draft by keeping in mind the possibilities of developing education hub already in the state .