Panel to check if schools’ fee hike justified

The notification was issued on Friday by the government’s Education department,specifying the members of the committee and their terms of reference. As ordered by a division bench of Justices A K Sikri and Siddharth Mridul,retired Justice Anil Dev Singh has been named as the chairperson of the three-member panel. The panel will look into the extent of fee hike required by each school on the implementation of the VI Pay Commission.

The court had also named chartered accountant J S Kochar as the second member of the panel and Delhi’s Chief Secretary has nominated Dr R K Sharma,retired Additional Director of Education,as the third member.

“The committee shall perform acts determined in the judgment of the Delhi High Court dated August 12,2011,passed in civil writ petition titled Delhi Abhibhavak Mahasangh and others vs Government of National Capital Territory of Delhi,” stated the notification,issued under the seal of the Lieutenant-Governor.

While deciding the petition moved through advocate Ashok Agarwal,the court had noted: “There is a need to inspect and audit accounts of the schools to find out the funds to meet the increased obligation cast by the implementation of VI Pay Commission and on this basis,to determine in respect of these schools as to how much hike in fee,if at all,is required.”

If the committee finds that a private school unjustifiably increased the fee,the school would be asked to refund the excess amount along with nine per cent interest. Similarly,if a particular school is able to make out a case for higher increase,then it would be permissible for such schools to recover from students over and above what is charged in terms of the 2009 notification.

By the 2009 notification,the Delhi Cabinet had approved the hike ranging from a minimum of Rs 100 to a maximum of Rs 500 in the schools to ease their financial burden due to increase in teachers’ salaries as per the VI Pay Commission recommendations.