10-12-21 Daily-Haryana-HPSC Current Affairs

In a move to regulate exorbitant fees charged by private schools in Haryana, the Manohar Lal Khattar Government has amended the Haryana School Education Rules, 2003, linking the annual fee hike with the consumer price index.

A penalty of upto `2 lakh and withdrawal of recognition of private schools violating the new fee norms have also been introduced in the State.

According to the Haryana School Education (Amendment) Rules, 2021 notified by the State Government, a recognised (private/unaided) school may increase the fee chargeable for its existing students by itself every year, equivalent to average percentage per capita increase of monthly salary of teaching staff of previous year, but the fee increase shall not exceed latest available yearly percentage increase in consumer price index plus five per cent. Apart from this, the private schools will not raise the fee during the academic year and indulge in profiteering.

However, the private schools shall be free to determine the fee chargeable for new students seeking fresh admission in any class in a particular academic year.

The Fee and Fund Regulatory Committee at the divisional level under the chairmanship of Divisional Commissioner will conduct inquiry into the cases of violations and such enquiry shall be completed in a period not exceeding more than three months.

Under the new rules, the mandatory criteria of annual fee increase will not be applicable to the primary schools where sum total of mandatory fee components is less than or equal to Rs 12,000 per annum; middle, secondary and senior secondary schools where sum total of mandatory fee components is less than or equal to `15,000 per annum.