Maharashtra issues GR for 15% fee cut; parents term it an eyewash

The Maharashtra government yesterday issued an order for a 15 per cent fee cut for schools, including government and private ones for the year 2021-22, due to the ongoing Covid-19 pandemic.

Parents of school-going children have termed the recent Maharashtra Government Resolution (GR) on fee cut an eyewash, and something which would support the school administration. In July, the Maharashtra government passed an ordinance to reduce school fees by 15 percent.

As per the government resolution, if the parents have already paid the fees, they will be compensated by fee adjusting in the next academic year.

Parents across the state have been urging Chief Minister Uddhav Thackeray and education minister Varsha Gaikwad for fee cut as classes are happening online and many of them are facing financial issues due to COVID-19.

Anubha Shrivastava Sahai, President of India Wide Parents Association (IWPA) who has been spearheading the demand for fee cut said: “GR by Maharashtra govt to reduce 15% fees for 21-22 is again an eyewash. Last year also GR was challenged by schools and the same thing will happen this year. The government is not talking about last year fees now. Many schools have already increased more than 15% fees and ultimately there will be no benefit for students.”

Earlier in May, Supreme Court struck down the Rajasthan government GR ruling that the state government has no authority to decide the fees as per the fee regulation act of Rajasthan. The SC also observed that only Divisional Fee Regulation Committee (DFRC) can decide the fees and as a one time measure SC directed to reduce schools fee by 15 percent for the year 2020-2021.

For Maharashtra SC has not given any such direction. It has suggested parents approach the competent authority and competent authority will decide the fee dispute after hearing all the parties which include schools also, in line with SC order in Rajasthan matter.

In the GR issued by Maharashtra it is mentioned that if schools will not follow the GR, parents can approach the DFRC. DFRC is the competent authority in Maharashtra and individual parents or even groups of 4-5 can not approach the DFRC until there is an amendment in the fee regulation act.

One of the parents, Vishal Gaikwad from Nagpur said: “Since last year we are trying to get the fee reduced as my children are not going to school and classes are happening online. We also requested the school to reduce the fee to give relief to parents but they have not done it till now.”

Sahai said that many parents are not aware of the procedure to approach the DFRC and this GR is again to support school management so that parents will keep fighting the whole year. She questioned that how can a GR give power to DFRC to hear complaints from parents when the act mandates that individual Parents can not approach it.

“Why is the state government not conducting an audit of schools and passing such GR. Government is fooling parents,” Sahai said.

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