Karnataka HC Allows 15% Waiver on School Fees instead of 30% Mandated by Govt.

Vinod Kakumanu
Sept. 30, 2021, 12:13 p.m.

The Government Order dated 29^th January 2021 directing schools to reduce the tuition fees for the academic session 2020-21 by 30%, was modified by the Karnataka High Court on September 16. The fee-reduction was brought down to 15% by a single bench of Justice R Devdas who stated:

The petitioner-institution (school management of the concerned private unaided school) shall collect annual school fees from their students as fixed under the Act of 1995 of the academic year 2019-20, but by providing deduction of '15 per cent' on that amount, in lieu of unutilised facilities by the students during the relevant period of the academic year 2020-21.”

Petitions were filed by the Private Unaided Schools and Associations of such Private Unaided Schools, and the directive was issued during the hearing of these petitions.

It was further directed by the court that schools should not prevent any student from attending online or offline classes for not paying the fees, including arrears or outstanding fees. Also, neither should the name of any student, nor the results of the examinations for any student for the ensuing board examinations be withheld. The court allowed the school managements to offer more concession or come up with alternate ways on offering concession. Another direction passed was that, on receiving individual requests from parents regarding difficulty in remitting school fees for the session 2020-21, school managements ought to consider these requests sympathetically on case-to-case basis.

Collection of fees for the academic year 2021-22 will not be affected by the above-mentioned directions issued by the court.