The Himachal Pradesh High Court on Monday took a strong action against the management of private school for suddenly hiking the exorbitant fee in the mid of session seeking reply from the concern officers of the State and Central Government.
The High court directed the Principal DAV Centenary Public School Chopal not to compel the parents of the students to pay the enhanced fee. The Court further issued notice to the Secretary Education to the Government of Himachal Pradesh, the Secretary, and Human Resource Development to the Union of India on this issue.
A Division Bench comprising the Chief Justice Mansoor Ahmad Mir and Justice Tarlok Singh Chauhan passed these orders on a writ petition filed by Madan Saregta who has alleged in the petition that the DAV Centenary Public School Chopal has started collecting and imposing charges for building fund, development funds, donations and has also been collecting money on to issue school leaving certificates.
It was also alleged in the petition that the School Management has also charged and forcibly collected money amounting to Rs. 5000/- from every student of class 10th and Rs. 1000/- from every other student on account of getting registration for the examination center. During the current session the fee has been increased about 27% abruptly and imposed it in the mid academic session and the School management is forcing the parents of the students to pay the enhanced fee otherwise threatening to strike the name of the students from school roll.
The petitioner has prayed that the respondents may be directed to stop charging illegal funds on account of Development Fund, Building Fund, and Fee Book Charges. It was also prayed that respondents may be further directed not to compel the students to pay enhance fee in the mid academic session.