Maharashtra government insists private schools need to upload their expenses online

The Maharashtra government has accepted key recommendations made by the 11-member panel, headed by retired high court judge VJ Palshikar. The recommendations compel private schools to upload a break-up of their expenses on ensuring quality education and development for every academic year. Besides, the government will impose fine, ranging between a lakh to Rs 5 lakh, on schools that are found to hike fees illegitimately.

A state education department officer said, "The government had received report from the Justice Palshikar-led committee in December last year to propose amendments to a fee regulation law the state passed in 2011 called the Maharashtra Educational Institutions (Regulation of Fee) Act.The committee was formed after demands from parents across the state that changes be made to the act to give them greater powers of decision(sic)."

Another key recommendation that the government has accepted is that parents be kept in the loop about the entire academic year's fee structure or part of the academic year at the time of admissions. If in case more than half the parents have already deposited the hiked fees then the parents or Parent Teacher Association (PTA) cannot take objection. Besides, a group of parents apart from the PTA, which is the executive body—whose approval is must for a fee increase, can appeal against the hiked fees at the district fee regulation committee.

"The government has accepted committee's suggestions that overhead expenses including library, lab and deposit charges will be included in the definition of fee. In order to give adequate representation to parents on the PTA executive body, one of two parents from each standard can be appointed. Until the fee regulation committee decides on fee revision, parents can continue paying 15% more than previous year's fee or the hiked fee whichever is lowest," the officer said.