Orissa High Court puts the ball of school fee waiver in government's court

Adjudicating three separate writ petitions in this matter, the two-judge bench of the Orissa High Court said the State government can direct private schools to reduce fees if it wishes to do so.

Putting the ball in the state government's court on the issue of reduction of fees of private schools, the Orissa High Court has asked it to take a decision on the basis of MoUs signed with the private schools.

Orissa high court. (File photo)

Adjudicating three separate writ petitions in this matter, the two-judge bench of the Orissa High Court comprising chief justice S. Muralidhar and justice BR Sarangi said the State government can direct private schools to reduce fees if it wishes to do so. The petitioners including Odisha Abhibhabak Mahasangha and Sai International School Parents Forum had urged the state government to issue necessary orders to both private unaided and aided schools not to collect tuition fees for the lockdown period till actual commencement of classes in physical mode and not increase in fees in the academic session 2020-21.

"Given the limited scope of interference in the matters of this nature, the Court is not persuaded to further issue directions in the matter in light of the MoU arrived at between 14 educational institutions in Odisha on the question of fee waiver during the period of the Covid-19 pandemic," the order said referring to the agreement on fee waiver reached upon by 14 schools.

The HC however noted that fee structure must take into consideration the need to generate funds to be utilized for the betterment and growth of the educational institution, the betterment of education in that institution, and to provide facilities necessary for the benefit of the students.