Fee Revision Committee allows fee changes in only eight Gujarat schools

In a major setback to schools, the Fee Revision Committee has rejected over 50 per cent appeals filed by schools seeking revision of their fee structure. Unhappy with the order passed by the Fee Regulatory Committee, formed as per the Gujarat Self-Financed (Regulation of Fees) Act, a total of 137 schools across the state had filed appeal with the Fee Revision Committee, seeking changes in their fee structure ascertained by the FRC. However, the fee regulatory committee has rejected appeals of 62 schools and have remanded (referred) nearly 67 schools back to the FRC. Interestingly, the committee has made changes to fee structure of only eight schools.

An official from the education department dealing with the appeals of the schools unhappy with the initial FRC order said, "If we look at the numbers, only 0.1% schools of total number of schools in the state have approached the fee revision committee. This shows that most of the schools are satisfied with the order by the FRC. The FRC passes orders in three stages: Remand, reject and allows. If the committee finds technical issues which are petty in nature, then it passes remand, referring the case to the FRC with some observations to be looked at. Those schools whose documents or the case is not valid, their case gets rejected. Lastly, if the committee finds major altercation required, then it makes changes to the fee structure."

Here, requests of only eight schools have been allowed whereas the committee has rejected 62 appeals filed by schools, the official said.

As per the Gujarat Self-Financed (Regulation of Fees), Act, the lower cut-off set by the state government is at Rs 15,000 for primary, Rs 25,000 for secondary and Rs 30,000 for higher secondary schools. Schools that propose to charge beyond the cut-off were asked to approach the FRC justifying their fees. As per the Act, FRC has to give its order within 90 days of the school submitting their documents. Once the FRC order comes, schools which are unhappy with the order can file an appeal with the revision committee within 21 days.

Ahmedabad witnessed a total of 92 appeals of which only six were allowed, whereas 54 have been rejected. A total of 32 schools have been remanded back to the FRC for further hearing. Schools which have been referred back to the FRC, for a possible hearing include Riverside School, Redbricks International School, Anand Niketan Bhadaj, Podar International School, DAV School, Zydus School for Excellence, Diwan Ballubhai School, Aavishkar International School, Mahatma Gandhi International School, GIIS, Krishna International School, Patan, Radiant International School, Sargasan and others.

Schools that witnessed changes to the fee structure by the revision committee included Amrut Indian school, Nandoli in Ahmedabad whose fees was increase from Rs 45,000 to Rs 55,000, Khalsa Little Flower school in Bapunagar witnessed an increase of Rs 1,500, Aadharshila School, Valad in Gandhinagar increased to Rs 60,000 from Rs 54,000 among others.

Schools that have been referred back to the FRC:

Riverside School, Redbricks International School, Anand Niketan Bhadaj, Podar International School, DAV School, Zydus School for Excellence, Diwan Ballubhai School, Aavishkar International School, Mahatma Gandhi International School, GIIS, Krishna International School, Patan, Radiant International School, Sargasan and others.