SC Allows Rajasthan Schools to Collect 100% Fee from March

In December, the Rajasthan HC had allowed RBSE & CBSE schools to collect 60% and 70% tuition fees respectively. Image used for representation. 

(Photo: The Quint)

The Supreme Court on Monday, 8 February, allowed private unaided schools in Rajasthan to collect 100 percent school fee, through six monthly installments, from 5 March, 2021, reported Live Law.

However the bench, headed by Justice Khanwilkar, maintained that schools cannot expel students or reserve their exam results over non-payment of fee.

The apex court also mentioned that the installment arrangement would have to be paid independently of the amount payable to schools in the 2021-2022 academic year.

The court also stayed an earlier judgment of the Rajasthan High Court, which had allowed private schools to charge 60 to 70.

How Did the Matter Reach SC?

In December 2020, the Rajasthan High Court had upheld the state government’s order, asking students to pay 60 percent and 70 percent of tuition fees in RBSE and CBSE schools respectively.

The order was applicable only for schools after reopening and is based on a 30 percent and 40 percent reduction in syllabus in CBSE and RBSE respectively.

Additionally, the order had also allowed schools that had not reopened, but been conducting online classes, to collect 60 percent of tuition fee as ‘capacity-building fee’.

Unhappy with the verdict, a section of schools had then approached the Supreme Court.