Calcutta HC directs to reduce school tuition fees by 20 per cent in private schools

Kolkata: Amid coronavirus, the debate of payment of school fees has surfaced. The Calcutta High Court on Tuesday issued an order of 20 per cent reduction in tuition fees in all “non-government aided schools” in the state during the current financial year. The court has also formed a three-member committee to look into all fee-related issues.

The decision was made by the division bench of justices Sanjib Banerjee and Moushumi Bhattacharya on a PIL plea filed by a guardians’ forum of 145 educational institutions. The court has asked private schools not to charge fees under the non-academic head.

The statement issued stated, “There will be no increase in fees from the month of April until the schools reopen in the physical mode for the financial year 2020-21. 2020 following the one in which the all 145 schools will offer a minimum of 20 per cent reduction of fees across the board.

There will be additional charges for laboratory, craft, sporting facilities or extracurricular activities or the like will not be permissible during the months that the schools have not functioned in the physical mode. Session fees traditionally charged periodically will be permissible, but again, subject to a maximum of 80 per cent of the quantum charged for the corresponding period in the financial year 2019-’20,” read the judgment.

Further added, “The minimum figure of 20 per cent reduction in the monthly tuition fees will be on the basis of the tuition fees charged for the corresponding month in the previous financial year.  The state government of Gujarat has also ordered to of 25 per cent reduction in tuition fees in the schools. However, many people are urging respective state governments to reduce school fees. Maharashtra is one among them, it has not made any decline but urged schools not to increase the scho0l fees for current year.