The Private Schools Fee Determination Committee, chaired by Justice S.R. Singaravelu, is inclined to determining the fee for all schools across the State before the commencement of the next academic year, said an official.
On May 3, the Madras High Court had set aside the orders of the committee, then headed by Justice K. Raviraja Pandian, with respect to nearly 300 institutions and referred the matter back to the panel for fresh consideration. The committee was now giving priority to those cases, and aiming to determine their revised fee by December.
The official said that the committee has heard 810 schools so far and determined a three-year fee structure for close to 50 CBSE Schools. The three-year fee structure has been fixed taking into consideration the growth in the expenses of the school, among other factors. District Educational Officers, said the official, have been asked to send a list of schools whose fees have not been fixed so far. In addition to these, there are about 15-20 cases which need to be relooked, said the official.
The official said the committee has mediated between parents, Parent Teachers Associations, and school managements and convinced schools to refund the excess amounts in some cases. Some schools, whose fee will come up for revision in 2013, have also approached the committee.
According to the information on the School Education Department website, Rs. 31,875 for L.K.G at National Public School (2012-2013) is among the highest annual fees in Chennai District and Rs. 8,200 in The Hindu Colony Chellamal Vidyalaya Higher Secondary School, the lowest.
Similarly for class XII, the Rs. 36,000 at P.S.B.B. K.K. Nagar (2012-2013) was among the highest in Chennai District and Rs.11,425 for class XII at The Hindu Colony Chellamal Vidyalaya Higher Secondary School, the lowest.
The schools in Chennai District whose fees were announced included Vidya Mandir Senior Secondary School, SBOA School and Junior College, Chinmaya Vidyalaya, D.A.V. Boys Senior Secondary School and Sir Sivaswamy Kalalaya Senior Secondary School among others.
