A day after HT highlighted the failure of justice Mongia committee as well as the UT education department to address the issue of yearly hefty fee hike in Chandigarh’s private schools, the governor’s office has asked the UT adviser to look into the matter and take appropriate action.
The decision comes against the backdrop of a representation by city-based RTI activist RK Garg addressed to the administrator, Chandigarh, on Wednesday. Garg’s representation had highlighted an HT report of April 27 that had documented that the Mongia committee had failed to submit a report to the Punjab and Haryana high court on the issue, even as three years had passed since its formation.
The UT had also failed to come up with a permanent mechanism to regulate fee hike within six months as directed by the HC in April 2014.
Garg’s representation
Pointing out that the UT had failed to come up with a permanent mechanism to regulate fee hike within six months from April 2014, as directed by the HC, Garg’s representation added that the Mongia committee had collected `5 lakh towards sitting fee through the education department of Chandigarh administration during May and June 2013.
He has also raised concern over how the Mongia panel had not managed to collect details from 23 private unaided schools, even as it had the backing of the HC. He also questioned the total figure of 73 as has been touted since, saying that the number of such schools needed to be verified.
{{/usCountry}}He has also raised concern over how the Mongia panel had not managed to collect details from 23 private unaided schools, even as it had the backing of the HC. He also questioned the total figure of 73 as has been touted since, saying that the number of such schools needed to be verified.
{{/usCountry}}The representation also points out UT’s failure in seeking the adviser’s intervention to inquire into why and how the schools had not cooperated with the Mongia committee.
Guv office response
Responding to the plea, the governor’s office stated that ‘the matter had been considered by the governor of Punjab and the administrator, UT Chandigarh, and the same has been sent to the adviser, UT, for taking appropriate action on his behalf’, on Thursday. Principal secretary to the governor MP Singh confirmed the development. UT adviser Parimal Rai said he could not comment till he received the letter.