More than two months after the state government formed a 11-member committee to consider amendments to the Fee Regulation Act, parents have expressed dissatisfaction over the pace at which the committee is working. Several parents who had demanded changes in the Act are disappointed at the 'poor grievance redressal system' for fee-related issues. Several parents across the city are now planning to wage a campaign urging the government to redress their queries at a faster rate.

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"At the beginning of the year, the state government formed a committee to look into the existing provisions of the Act. Parents sent in a large number of suggestions for the same in the last month. Despite all these suggestions, there seems to be no movement from the side of the government to address the concerns raised with respect to fee hikes," said Anubha Sahai, who is a part of the Parents of Private Schools of Maharashtra (POPSOM).

The state government had formed an 11-member panel comprising of a few government officials along with representatives from parents and school managements to look into the fee regulation Act after a large number of complaints from parents. The panel then put forth around 50 recommendations for suggestions and objections up to June 3. While the next meeting of the committee is scheduled to be in the first week of August, parents have decided to protest on June 27 against the government's speed.

"The district fee regulation committee is a toothless body and the state education department does not take any action against schools that hike fees without the consent of parents. At such times, the government should have a redressal mechanism for parents," said a city-based parent on the condition of anonymity.

...& ANALYSIS

  • With the growing number of complaints regarding fee hikes, the state government should plug in the existing loopholes in the legislation.  
  • There should be a grievance redressal mechanism where parents can register their complaints directly.