In a significant ruling, a division bench of the Madhya Pradesh High Court has quashed an order issued by the Jabalpur district administration that directed several private schools to refund 'excess' fees to parents. The court emphatically stated that decisions regarding student fees, books, and uniforms fall within the exclusive domain of the school management or the society operating the institution.
Court Strikes Down Administrative Overreach
The bench, comprising Justice Vivek Rusia and Justice Pradeep Mittal, delivered the verdict while deciding on a bunch of petitions filed by over a dozen private schools from Jabalpur district. The court was reviewing an order passed by the Jabalpur administration on July 9, 2024, which not only fixed a fee structure but also issued directives concerning school uniforms, prescribed books, and even the weight of school bags.
The High Court found that the district committee, formed under the Private School (Regulation of Fees & Related Issues) Act, 2017 and the Rules of 2020, had acted beyond its jurisdiction. The committee, of which the District Education Officer of Jabalpur was a member, had overstepped its legal boundaries by issuing the controversial directives, the court held.
"Highly Objectionable" Handling of the Issue
The court did not mince words in criticizing the manner in which the local administration handled the entire issue, calling it "highly objectionable." The bench observed that the committee appeared to have acted in a "very hostile atmosphere against the private educational institutions."
In a pointed remark, the court noted, "If the parents were not satisfied with the fee, nobody compelled them to admit their wards in the schools." The judges expressed concern that the administration's approach had created a rift between school managements and parents, an environment they stated is detrimental to the education and future careers of the students.
Reaffirming Autonomy of School Management
This ruling reinforces the legal autonomy of private school managements in matters of academic and administrative policy, as defined under the existing state law. By quashing the district committee's order, the High Court has clarified the limits of administrative intervention in the day-to-day functioning of private educational institutions.
The decision brings relief to the petitioning schools in Jabalpur and sets a precedent regarding the interpretation of the 2017 Fee Regulation Act. It underscores that while regulations exist, the primary authority for decisions on fees, uniforms, and study materials rests with the institutions themselves, within the framework of the law.
