HC issues notice to Haryana govt

PVT SCHOOLS HAD CHALLENGED STATE’S MOVE TO NOT ALLOW THEM TO COLLECT FULL FEE AND OTHER FUNDS FROM STUDENTS

CHANDIGARH: The Punjab and Haryana high court on Wednesday issued a notice to the Haryana government over a plea from private schools challenging the state’s move to not allow them to collect enhanced fee and other funds from students for academic session 2020-21 in view of Covid-19 outbreak.

The notice was issued by high court bench of Justice Raj Mohan Singh for June 4 on the plea of Sarv Vidyalya Sangh, which comprises 87 member schools of the state.

Their counsel, Pankaj Maini, had said they have been told to only collect monthly tuition fee and not demand other charges like building fund, maintenance fund, admission charges etc. Each school will have to incur a loss between ₹20 to ₹25 lakh due to the order, the court was told, adding that the decision would have a bearing on payment of salaries to staff members and water bills, electricity bills and property tax etc.

The government response has been sought by June 4.

Meanwhile, the high court allowed 3,000-odd Punjab schools to collect 70% of the total fee from students for the academic session 2020-2021. The order was passed on the petition of Punjab Schools Welfare Association on Wednesday.

Earlier on May 22, the high court had allowed private schools in Punjab to charge 70 percent of fee directing that the teachers in these schools would have to be paid 70 percent of their salaries.