Rajasthan high court extends stay on collecting school fee till October 20

Jaipur: A double bench of the Rajasthan high court on Wednesday extended the stay on collecting school fee by schools till October 20. The Rajasthan high court has directed the government to take a decision in this regard.

The double bench of Chief Justice Indrajeet Mohanty and Justice SK Sharma had on October 1 stayed a single bench’s order which allowed private schools to collect tuition fee during the COVID-19 situation even as the schools were closed. The double bench issued a stay on the single bench’s order till October 9. The double bench on Wednesday extended the stay till October 20.

The court on Wednesday said that the state government has certain powers when the Epidemic Diseases Act is in effect. The Rajasthan government has the authority to determine school fees to be charged by the private schools. The court asked the government to submit an affidavit by October 19.

The Rajasthan high court’s single bench had on September 7 allowed private schools to collect 70% of the tuition fee from parents in three instalments. The orders in this regard were issued on petition filed by various school organizations including Society of Catholic Education Institutions in Rajasthan and Progressive School Association. The non-payment could allow schools to prevent a child from attending online classes, but they were not allowed to rusticate the child from school. 

The double bench then stayed the order. The ball is now in the Rajasthan government’s court.