The Education Department has now notified a committee to monitor and fix fees for all private schools in the Union Territory.
The committee will study and fix fees for 278 State Board, CBSE and ICSE schools in Puducherry, Karaikal, Mahe and Yanam.
Although the committee has been notified, the actual appointment of chairperson and other details will be finalised only after the election process because of the Model Code of Conduct, an official from the department said.
As per the notification, the committee would look into details of the school, including the locality, student strength, total number of classes, infrastructure, administrative expenses, maintenance, teacher-to-student ratio and potential of growth for the schools. It would then fix the fees for three academic years. Once these factors are taken into consideration, the committee would determine the fees of the school and the school has the option of filing objections, if any, to the committee within 15 days of the decision. The committee would then pass final orders a month from the receipt of the objection, the notification says.
The school could only apply for revision of the final orders after three academic years, the notification said.
In addition, the committee would also monitor the fees collected and hear complaints on excess fees collection. If the complaints are proved true, the panel has the power to withdraw recognition or approval of the school. In case of CBSE, ICSE or other boards, the committee has the powers to recommend disaffiliation of the school.
The main purpose of the committee is to check whether private schools are charging fees that are justified by its intake and infrastructure. For this purpose, the schools are divided into four main categories — those that have bare minimum facilities; those with more than the minimum number of labs, library books, classroom, sanitary and drinking water facilities; schools with more than adequate facilities, library area, good sanitation facilities, protected drinking water along with a high percentage of results and finally those with modern facilities like smart classrooms and air conditioning, an official said.
The committee itself would comprise a retired high court judge or retired IAS officer as chairperson, Director of School Education as secretary along with seven members including various officials from the School Education Department, a chartered accountant and three representatives of private school managements, he said.
