A TWO-JUDGE Bench of High Court Division in its full verdict posted on the website of Supreme Court Wednesday said that the government was duty-bound to immediately stop collection of excessive fees by English medium schools from their students. Earlier, in the short order delivered on December 12 last year the Court had declared illegal and discriminatory the collection of Value Added Tax (VAT) by the government on English medium schools’ tuition fees. The verdict was delivered after hearing a writ jointly filed by some aggrieved parents.
The fact of the matter is that the government is now realizing VAT on the tuition fees of English medium schools and thus becomes beneficiary of the higher tuition fees. So it appears that the government is reluctant to force the schools to shelve realizing higher tuition fees least the schools force the government to stop realizing VAT on tuition fees.
The verdict has rightly pointed out that anarchy is prevailing in the English medium schools with regard to realization of tuition fees. In the full verdict, the Court said that instead of imposing additional burden of VAT on students of English medium schools the government should concentrate on ending collection of excessive fees from students. The collection of excessive tuition fees, annual charge and other fees by English medium schools are arbitrary and must stop forthwith. The Court has also asked the government to enact law and frame guidelines to regulate fixation of tuition fees and other charges by the English medium schools.
English medium schools, mainly at Kindergarten level are operating like commercial enterprise mostly in rented houses. They make tall promise in lucrative newspaper advertisements for better teaching and the loving parents send their kids hoping better results. They have glamorous in fillings and charging excessive fees but they are in fact robbing parents using love for their children. As they are earning a lot it appears that the government has imposed VAT on them to take a share of their income. In a way the government has joined the English Medium Schools to force parents to pay higher fees instead of forcing the schools management to stop such arbitrary practice.
It appears that the guardians of some students earlier had filed the writ in the High Court asking for guidance about fixation as escalating fees; which prove unbearable on them. The Court has asked the government to stop the anarchy at schools, but the government appears not acting accordingly.
We must say that the government must sincerely act to implement the order of the High Court Bench by immediately asking schools to stop realizing excessive tuition fees and make law and guidelines how schools can raise fees. The Court has come forward to protect people’s interest and the government must pay heed to it.
The fact of the matter is that the government is now realizing VAT on the tuition fees of English medium schools and thus becomes beneficiary of the higher tuition fees. So it appears that the government is reluctant to force the schools to shelve realizing higher tuition fees least the schools force the government to stop realizing VAT on tuition fees.
The verdict has rightly pointed out that anarchy is prevailing in the English medium schools with regard to realization of tuition fees. In the full verdict, the Court said that instead of imposing additional burden of VAT on students of English medium schools the government should concentrate on ending collection of excessive fees from students. The collection of excessive tuition fees, annual charge and other fees by English medium schools are arbitrary and must stop forthwith. The Court has also asked the government to enact law and frame guidelines to regulate fixation of tuition fees and other charges by the English medium schools.
English medium schools, mainly at Kindergarten level are operating like commercial enterprise mostly in rented houses. They make tall promise in lucrative newspaper advertisements for better teaching and the loving parents send their kids hoping better results. They have glamorous in fillings and charging excessive fees but they are in fact robbing parents using love for their children. As they are earning a lot it appears that the government has imposed VAT on them to take a share of their income. In a way the government has joined the English Medium Schools to force parents to pay higher fees instead of forcing the schools management to stop such arbitrary practice.
It appears that the guardians of some students earlier had filed the writ in the High Court asking for guidance about fixation as escalating fees; which prove unbearable on them. The Court has asked the government to stop the anarchy at schools, but the government appears not acting accordingly.
We must say that the government must sincerely act to implement the order of the High Court Bench by immediately asking schools to stop realizing excessive tuition fees and make law and guidelines how schools can raise fees. The Court has come forward to protect people’s interest and the government must pay heed to it.
