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| Maharashtra Budget 2011 |
The Maharashtra Government is planning to enact a law to regulate fee hikes by schools in the state, the Legislative Council was informed today. A Bill in this regard will be introduced in the ongoing budget session of the Legislature. Provision for a penalty of Rs 5 lakh and/or imprisonment up to three years has been made in the proposed Bill for flouting norms, the Upper House was told. "The draft of the Fee Control Bill has been put on the Government's site for suggestions and objections from parents and teachers. We would introduce it during the ongoing session," Minister of State for School Education Fauzia Khan said. She said a school or an educational institution would have to seek an approval of the Parent Teachers' Association (PTA) for a fee hike. "The institution would have to present the revenue sources and expenditure to justify hike." If the hike is not agreed by the PTA, the issue would be moved before a divisional committee which would be headed by a retired district judge with members from ICSE or CBSE boards and Deputy Director of Education as ex-officio member, the Minister said. If the dispute persisted, the matter would be taken to the state-level committee headed by a retired High Court Judge, Khan said. An erring school can be fined Rs 5 lakh and/or imprisonment of one to three years imprisonment for all those involved in flouting norms, the Minister said.
Sources: http://ibnlive.in.com
