Fee hike policy to be finalised today

State Education Minister Balasaheb Thorat told the state Assembly on Wednesday that the Government Resolution (GR) setting the policy on fee hikes in private, unaided schools will be finalised by Thursday.

State Education Minister Balasaheb Thorat told the state Assembly on Wednesday that the Government Resolution (GR) setting the policy on fee hikes in private, unaided schools will be finalised by Thursday.

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He was replying to queries raised in the Question Hour over steep fee hikes and capitation fees charged in schools across the state.

“Once the school fee resolution is issued, schools will have to decide fees as per the norms laid down. If any school charges fees beyond this, then the excess money will be recovered from the school management and returned to the parents,” said Thorat.

Thorat added that in some cases where there were complaints over hefty donations, the department had already issued show cause notices to the schools for charging capitation fees.

The fee hike policy will based on recommendations made by of the 21-member Kumud Bansal committee last year.

Treading on cautious line, the state government has sought legal opinion from Advocate General Ravi Kadam on the fee hike policy GR, said a source in the education department. The Bombay High Court had earlier asked the government to decide on the fee policy before July 15.

He said that a parent-teacher committee will be formed in all districts to keep a watch on attempts by schools to charge the parents with donations and hike fees arbitrarily.

The department has also sought clarifications on certain provisions of the Right to Education act, because the state was unsure about the aspect of free education for the low-income group.