State passed and sent it to the president in 2011, and has been awaiting his assent ever since.
As parents continue to suffer, the Maharashtra Educational Institutions (Regulation of Collection of Fee) Act, 2011, has been awaiting presidential nod for the past two years.
Education comes under the concurrent list of the Constitution, and, hence, needs the President’s consent.
The Bill seeks to enact a law to curb profiteering by educational institutions, especially unaided private schools.
The Act was passed by the state legislature in August 2011.
When asked about the solution for the continued conflict between parents and erring schools, Fauzia Khan, Minister of state for School Education, Maharashtra, says, “The bill is the only solution but it has been pending at the President’s office for the last two years.”
However, Dr Avisha Kulkarni, an activist, said: “If the government is serious about curbing arbitrary fee hikes, it can take action against the managements under the Prohibition of Capitation Fee Act of 1987. The problem is that the government is simply not serious about acting against managements.’’
If the Bill is enacted into a law, all nursery, primary, secondary and higher secondary schools from all boards and managements would be barred from collecting excess fee.
The activists says the government is not following up the matter “intentionally” with the president’s office.
Some international schools are charging Rs 8-15 lakh as annual fee for primary schools.
A large number of educational institutions in the state are owned by politicians like agriculture minister Sharad Pawar, Congress leader and Bihar governor DY Patil, state ministers like Rajesh Tope and Patang Rao Kadam. Fauzia Khan herself runs several institutions in Parbhani.
Khan, however, claims the state is serious over the issue and procedural delay. “The bill has been sent to the human resources development also, which had raised some questions. We had been replying to all those points.”
Venu Rajamoni, press secretary of the President, remained unavailable for comments.
Freeing up learning
Schools can hike fee only once in two years
Fee hike should be announced six months ahead of the academic year
PTA approval is mandatory and a divisional committee is a must
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