HC order on reduction in school fees not applicable to all schools

On Jan 1, 2022

hc-order-on-reduction-in-school-fees-not-applicable-to-all-schools

Pune : Policenama online – The stay given by the Aurangabad bench of the Bombay High Court on the state government’s decision taken on August 12, 2021 reducing the school fees by 15 per cent, is applicable only to schools affiliated to Maharashtra English School Trustees Association (MESTA).

There is no blanket stay on the government’s decision. Hence, it is binding for all schools except those affiliated to MESTA to reduce their fees by 15 per cent.

However, many schools are falsely claiming affiliation to MESTA and refusing to reduce their fees by 15 per cent, said MESTA’s Founder Chairman Dr Sanjayrao Tayade.

MESTA had organised a press conference against the background of confusion over a stay given to government decision on reduction of fees. MESTA’s Secretary General Prof Vinod Kulkarni, President of state cell of MESTA Sudarshana Trigunait, Divisional Chief of MESTA Rajiv Jagtap, Chief of Pune Pimpri Chinchwad district chief Sandip Kate, city president Sneha Chakravarty etc were present.

MESTA gave a concession of 25 per cent to needy students of affiliated schools because of financial hardships caused due to the coronavirus pandemic. However, the school education department released a circular reducing the school fees for 2021-22 academic year by 15 per cent, based on the directives of the Supreme Court.

Since MESTA had already given a concession of 25 per cent, it filed a petition challenging the government’s decision to reduce fees by 15 per cent in the Aurangabad bench of the Bombay High Court.

As per a ruling, the HC has given instructions that no action should be taken against schools affiliated to MESTA.