Supreme court halts the fee hike by private schools in Gujarat
The Supreme Court has clarified that private non-granted schools cannot charge more than the fee amount determined by the Fee Regulatory Committee (FRC). This directive comes in response to a Special Leave Petition filed by the Gujarat government on behalf of the FRC, challenging a previous judgment by the Gujarat High Court that had favored private schools.The bench, comprising Chief Justice of India B R Gavai and Justice K Vinod Chandran, issued an interim order that puts a check on the arbitrary practices and excessive fee collection by private unaided schools. This ruling brings major relief to thousands of students and parents across Gujarat, while serving as a serious warning to private schools engaging in unfair fee practices.The Supreme Court also clarified that any amount paid by students or collected by schools will be subject to the Court’s final verdict in this case. Effectively, this halts the ongoing collection of exorbitant fees by private unaided institutions.The Court also issued notices to various private schools and other parties involved in the matter and has scheduled further hearings in the coming days.The case reached the Supreme Court after the Gujarat High Court’s Single Judge Bench overturned the FRC’s decision to exclude certain expenses like lease rent, loan interest, and related costs when determining school fees. That ruling was later upheld by a division bench led by Chief Justice Sunita Agarwal in April 2024.In its petition, the Gujarat government argued that the FRC is legally empowered to set fee structures in the larger interest of students while also considering valid concerns of schools. They asserted that allowing schools to unilaterally charge more would violate regulatory norms and public interest.The state also highlighted that the High Court’s decision undermines students’ and parents’ rights, and that Supreme Court intervention is essential to protect the wider public interest, especially given the issue affects thousands of families.Furthermore, the petition challenged the High Court’s direction limiting the powers and guidelines of the FRC, particularly in how it regulates private schools.
The Supreme Court has clarified that private non-granted schools cannot charge more than the fee amount determined by the Fee Regulatory Committee (FRC). This directive comes in response to a Special Leave Petition filed by the Gujarat government on behalf of the FRC, challenging a previous judgment by the Gujarat High Court that had favored private schools.
The bench, comprising Chief Justice of India B R Gavai and Justice K Vinod Chandran, issued an interim order that puts a check on the arbitrary practices and excessive fee collection by private unaided schools. This ruling brings major relief to thousands of students and parents across Gujarat, while serving as a serious warning to private schools engaging in unfair fee practices.
The Supreme Court also clarified that any amount paid by students or collected by schools will be subject to the Court’s final verdict in this case. Effectively, this halts the ongoing collection of exorbitant fees by private unaided institutions.
The Court also issued notices to various private schools and other parties involved in the matter and has scheduled further hearings in the coming days.
The case reached the Supreme Court after the Gujarat High Court’s Single Judge Bench overturned the FRC’s decision to exclude certain expenses like lease rent, loan interest, and related costs when determining school fees. That ruling was later upheld by a division bench led by Chief Justice Sunita Agarwal in April 2024.
In its petition, the Gujarat government argued that the FRC is legally empowered to set fee structures in the larger interest of students while also considering valid concerns of schools. They asserted that allowing schools to unilaterally charge more would violate regulatory norms and public interest.
The state also highlighted that the High Court’s decision undermines students’ and parents’ rights, and that Supreme Court intervention is essential to protect the wider public interest, especially given the issue affects thousands of families.
Furthermore, the petition challenged the High Court’s direction limiting the powers and guidelines of the FRC, particularly in how it regulates private schools.
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