The Assam government can now penalise private educational institutions across the state that don't comply with the provisions of the Fee Regulation Act. This has been made possible with the Assam Legislative Assembly passing the Assam Non-Government Educational Institutions (Regulation of Fees) (Amendment) Bill, 2022 to include this provision.
State Education Minister Ranoj Pegu presented the Bill in the Assembly on Monday, September 19, after which a draft amendment was passed. "Subject to the provisions of Section l0 of the Act, the Fee Regulatory Committee shall recommend maximum limits of fees to be charged by the different categories of Non-Government Educational Institutions in every year before starting of the academic session," the Bill reads, as per a report by ANI.
The Bill mandates that all Non-Government Educational Institutions would file applications before the Fee Regulatory Committee, either for exemption or fixation of their fee structure by October 31. "All the Non-Government Educational Institutions shall have to register and apply either for obtaining an Exemption Certificate or Fee Fixation Certificate for obtaining certificates from the Fee Regulatory Committee," it states.
"If the Non-Government Educational Institutions fail to apply before the Fee Regulatory Committee thereof, as mentioned under clause (2) above, penalties shall be imposed to the Non-Government Educational Institutions," it reads further. A penalty of Rs 10,000 would be imposed if the application is not submitted on or before the deadline, while a penalty of Rs 5,000 would be imposed as a fine for late submissions, as per ANI.
"In the event of non-submission of the proposal by the Non-Government Educational Institutions before starting of the new academic session to determine their fee structure, the Fee Regulatory Committee shall suo moto determine the fee structure of that particular institution which shall be binding on such school," the Bill states.After the Bill was passed, Opposition Legislature and AIUDF member Rafiqul Islam said the state government has brought a few minor amendments to the Private Educational Institutions Bill.
"The government has made penal measures for private educational institutions of the state that don't comply with the provisions of the Fee Regulation Act, but Rs 10,000 penalty is very minimum for the private educational institutions. The government should have brought a strict provision. We now think that the government has now left the private schools and the government is going towards privatisation," Rafiqul Islam said.
The Assam Assembly also passed the Auniati University Bill, 2022, under which a teaching and research university is proposed to be set up at Teok, Kaliapani in Jorhat district of the state. The aim of this university is to provide instructions, teaching and training in higher education. The university would also provide quality research for the advancement and dissemination of up-to-date knowledge within the traditional Indian systems of value and spiritual ethos. This would help to create a higher level of intellectual abilities guided by a spirit of service to society, as per ANI.
