The Allahabad High Court has ordered private schools in Uttar Pradesh to reimburse 15% of the fees collected during the COVID-19 pandemic in the 2020-2021 academic year. This ruling was made on Monday, January 16 in response to a petition filed by parents seeking regulation of school fees during the pandemic, according to a report by ANI.
The Allahabad High Court, in a ruling by a division bench consisting of Chief Justice Rajesh Bindal and Justice JJ Munir, has instructed private schools in Uttar Pradesh to adjust fees for the next academic year to reflect the 15% refund of total fees charged during the 2020-2021 year due to the COVID-19 pandemic. The court has also mandated that schools must return 15% of the fees collected in 2020-2021 for students who left the school and has given them a two-month time frame to comply with the order.
Parents petitioned the High Court, arguing that private schools only provided online tuition during the 2020-2021 academic year and therefore, charging more than tuition fees constitutes profiteering and commercialization of education. The petitioners also cited a recent Supreme Court ruling in Indian School, Jodhpur v. State of Rajasthan in support of their argument, as reported by ANI.
Further, the apex court has held that private schools demanding fees without providing any services amounts to profiteering and the commercialisation of education.
