Madras HC gives 2 weeks to appoint officials to fee committee

Updated on: Wednesday, August 10, 2011

The Madras High Court allowed the Tamil Nadu government two weeks time within which it "hoped" the state would appoint the Chairman and the Member-Secretary for the Private Schools Fee Determination Committee.

The time frame was granted by the First Bench, comprising Chief Justice M Y Eqbal and Justice T S Sivagnanam, when it was hearing a writ petition seeking a direction to the government to fill up the vacancies in the committee.

Advocate General, A Navaneethakrishnan, had informed the court that appointment of a Chairman and Member-Secretary for the Private Schools Fee Determination Committee was under process and sought a week's time to enable him to inform
pertaining to constitution of the panel.

The petitioner, M Seshachalam of Panruti in Cuddalore district, also sought a further direction to the committee to dispose of all complaints pending with it within a time frame.

The petitioner pointed out that Justice K Ravirajapandian, who headed the committee had resigned on June 13 this year and that the post of the Member-Secretary, which was in the rank of a Joint Secretary, was also vacant. Hence, for all practical purposes, the committee was unable to perform its duty, the petition claimed.

Students and parents had agitated throughout the state to highlight the alleged collection of exorbitant fee over and above the fee prescribed by the committee, the petitioner contended.

But no action had been taken so far by the committee on the complaints.

The petitioner submitted that the Matriculation Higher Secondary School, where his son studied, and some other schools in the district were collecting more fees under various heads like smart fees, service provider fees and education camp fees.

In some cases where students failed to pay the fees demanded by managements, they were prevented from entering the classrooms, he submitted.

Madras HC gives 2 weeks to appoint officials to fee committee

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