District panels in Andhra Pradesh to fix school fees

Hyderabad: Parents in Andhra Pradesh can heave a sigh of relief as the state government has ordered all private schools to secure prior permission from specially constituted panels before increasing their tuition fees. The orders were issued nearly a month after a high-level committee submitted its recommendations to the government to check the fleecing by the managements of privately-run schools. All private schools in the state will no longer be allowed to increase their tuition fee in an arbitrary manner and for any revision of the fee structure they will have to seek permission from district-level panels constituted by the government. Interestingly, the orders were issued on a day when the Supreme Court ruled that the government should regulate the fee structure of private schools and these should not be commercialized. The panel, which was constituted by the government after an uproar over the steep fee hike by several schools this academic year, had fixed the upper limit for tuition fee to be charged by these schools but the government left the job to the District Fee Regulatory Committee (DFRC). Headed by the respective district collectors, the DFRC will comprise a District Educational Officer (DEO) and District Audit Officer (DAO). The DFRCs in all 23 districts will approve the fee for all private unaided schools. If schools collect fees more than what is approved by the DFRC, it would be treated as capitation fee and school management would be liable for action. The recognition granted to the school and No Objection Certificate (NOC) issued would also be withdrawn after giving due notice. The fee structure approved by the DFRC on the basis of salaries paid to teachers and staff, retirement benefits, running expenditure and infrastructure facilities would be valid for three years. And in case the management has a reason to increase the fee every year based on consumer price index, it should refer the proposal to the panel for approval. According to the orders, private schools can collect a one-time fee of not more than Rs.100 towards application, Rs.500 towards registration and a refundable caution deposit of Rs.5,000 which would be intimated to the DFRC for approval.