Approach state government to resolve issues about waiver of fees MoU: Orissa High Court to ICSE schools

The Orissa High Court has ruled that the Association of Odisha ICSE Schools should first approach the State government if it has any difficulty with any particular term of the MoU on waiver of fees by private schools during the period of the COVID-19 pandemic.

The MoU was arrived at between 14 private educational institutions, with the mediation of the State, agreeing to waiver of fees in a graded manner on September 10, 2020.

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The HC expects the association to make a representation to the State government within a week. “If such representation is made, the State government shall decide it in accordance with the law, preferably after hearing the petitioner and communicate the decision to the petitioner not later than two weeks after the receipt of such representation,” the HC directed on Tuesday.

If the petitioner is aggrieved by the decision of the State Government, it can seek appropriate remedies in accordance with the law, the High Court further said while disposing of the association’s petition challenging the legality and validity of the notification issued by the State government on the MoU. On January 7, the High Court had given the green signal to the State government on the MoU. Accordingly, on January 19, the State government issued an order requesting all private schools to comply with the High Court judgment and implement the MoU.