Pvt institutions willing to settle for 70% fees, HC told

CHENNAI: The government is likely to arrive at a decision by July 6 on a representation from private educational institutions seeking permission to collect 70 per cent of the annual fee in three instalments, the Madras High court was informed on Thursday.

Advocate General Vijay Narayan made the submission before a division bench comprising Justice R Subbiah and Justice Krishnan Ramasamy on a plea moved by Gopalakrishnan seeking to strictly enforce the Government Order that prohibited the institutes from forcefully collecting fees.

The petitioner submitted that the school and college managements were forcing the parents to pay up the tuition fees despite the order, and sought for a direction to the government to strictly enforce the GO.

Responding to this, the Advocate General submitted that the Federation of Association of Private Schools in Tamil Nadu, All India Private Educational Institutions Association and Consortium of Self-Financing Professional, Arts and Science Colleges in Tamil Nadu have already approached the court challenging the GO prohibiting them from collecting fees.

Based on their claim that without collection of any fees they would be unable to pay the teaching and non-teaching staff, a single judge had directed them to suggest a viable process to the government whereby they can run the institution and pay their staff. Following this, the associations suggested collecting 70 per cent of the annual fee, that too in three instalments. Based on this, the bench adjourned the plea by two weeks for further hearing.