Issue directions to waive off private school fees: Petition in SC

A petition has been filed before the Supreme Court seeking appropriate direction to the authorities concerned to take a decision regarding waive-off of private school fees due to coronavirus pandemic.

Lawyer Reepak Kansal has filed the writ petition before the Supreme Court under Article 32 of the Indian Constitution. The petition is likely to come up for hearing in a week.

Kansal, in his petition, claimed that the private schools' administration has not been providing any social service and similar to other commercial establishments the school authorities have been illegally forcing the students/parents to pay the school fee.

He further claimed that by doing so, these private schools violate the fundamental rights as well as various sections of the Consumer Protection Act.

"The administration of educational institutions without rendering their respective education services to the students, have been illegally demanding fee and other expenses and pressurising the parents/students to pay fees and other expenses," read the plea.

"Every child coping mechsm is different, therefore, to ensure the physical, emotional and mental well-being of children in the present epidemic, private school administrations must sincerely act without applying its commercial thought on the students," the petition further stated.

In order to justify the fees and expenses, some schools have started online classes of students during the period of lockdown, the petition claimed.

The private schools/educational institutions have been demanding fee which includes transport fee, activities charges building funds, technology fee, maintenance charges etc, the petition, further claimed.

( With inputs from ANI )