The Madras High Court on Friday permitted schools to collect 85% of the annual fees from parents who have not suffered income loss during the pandemic in six instalments. Those who have suffered income loss can apply to schools for exemption and the schools can collect only 75% of the fees from these parents. Those who suffered loss of employment can submit a representation to the school management, which has to consider it sympathetically. No child shall be barred from attending online or offline classes for reasons of non-payment of fees, the court said.

Justice D Krishnakumar passed the directions on the batch of pleas moved by the private educational institutions challenging the state government’s order restraining them from demanding fees during the lockdown.

In November last year, Justice N Anand Venkatesh had permitted private institutions to collect only 75% of the fees, determined for individual schools by the Tamil Nadu Private School Fee Determination Committee for the academic year 2019-20, in instalments.

However, the schools knocked on the doors of the court since the pandemic continued and they were only able to continue online classes. In the order on Friday, the court said the school managements can collect 85% of the fees fixed for previous years by the Fee Determination Committee in six instalments from students or parents who have not suffered loss of income during the pandemic period.

In case of loss of income during this pandemic period, the concerned students/parents can request the school management and it will consider collection of 75% of fees for the academic year 2021-2022 in six instalments, he added.

No student will be removed from school or restrained from attending online classes under any circumstances for the academic year 2021-2022 under any circumstances, stressed the order.

The managements of CBSE schools was also directed to publish the details of fees to be collected for the academic year 2021-2022 on their respective websites, within four weeks.

With detailed directions, the court disposed of the plea.