The Maharashtra government has taken a significant step towards regulating fee structures in private schools by reviving and reconstituting the long-dormant Divisional Fee Regulatory Committees (DFRCs) and an appellate Revision Committee. This move aims to provide parents with a formal mechanism to address grievances related to excessive fee hikes, as mandated by the Maharashtra Educational Institutions (Regulation of Fee) Act, 2011.
Divisional Committees Reconstituted to Tackle Fee Disputes
Four DFRCs have been established for the divisions of Mumbai, Pune, Nagpur, and Chhatrapati Sambhajinagar. These committees will be chaired by retired district judges, with the respective divisional deputy directors of education serving as ex-officio member-secretaries. The reconstituted committees are expected to clear a backlog of complaints that had accumulated due to the previous government’s term ending in 2024 without these bodies being formed.
The operationalisation of these committees signifies a renewed effort to ensure that schools adhere to the fee regulations stipulated by the Act. This revival is seen as crucial for increasing transparency in how schools determine their fee structures and for addressing concerns about arbitrary fee increases.
Appellate Authority Restored for Fee-Related Matters
In addition to the divisional committees, a state-level Revision Committee has also been reconstituted. This committee will function as the final appellate authority for fee-related disputes. Retired Bombay High Court Judge M.G. Gaikwad has been appointed as the chairperson, with the joint director of education, Pune, serving as the ex-officio member-secretary. This appellate body has the power to examine decisions made by the DFRCs and issue binding orders, including the revision or cancellation of fee structures.
Under the Maharashtra Educational Institutions (Regulation of Fee) Act, 2011, schools that do not declare a long-term fee structure can propose annual increases of up to 15% over the previous year’s fee, with revisions typically allowed once every two years. Any hike exceeding this limit or occurring earlier requires the consent of 76% of parents or justification based on unforeseen circumstances. During the pendency of disputes, schools are permitted to collect only the previous year’s fee plus up to 15% or the proposed fee, whichever is lower, until a final decision is reached.
Addressing Parental Concerns and Ensuring Compliance
The reconstitution of these committees follows mounting complaints from parents regarding alleged arbitrary fee increases and financial irregularities by private institutions. Previously, a significant hurdle for parents was the requirement under the Act for at least 25% of a school’s parents to jointly file a complaint for it to be considered by the DFRC. Officials acknowledge that organizing such a large group of parents has been challenging, and some parents express hesitation due to concerns about potential repercussions for their children’s academic future. There is a possibility that future amendments might allow individual parents to lodge complaints.
The education department has made it mandatory for all private schools to prominently display information about the fee regulatory committees and the complaint filing process on their notice boards. Dedicated email IDs for lodging complaints are also expected to be made operational, with the aim of ensuring timely redressal of grievances and fostering greater transparency in the fee collection practices of educational institutions across the state.
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The Chenab Times News Desk
