Supreme Court Forms Committee To Investigate High Fees Charged By Private Schools During COVID-19 Period

The Supreme Court has taken significant steps to address the issue of high fees charged by private schools during the COVID-19 pandemic.

In response to the case, a bench led by Chief Justice of India (CJI) Sanjeev Khanna stressed the need for a thorough investigation into the facts and financial accounts of these schools.

Consequently, the Court has formed a committee to look into the matter, comprising Justice GP Mittal and Adish Mehra from the Delhi High Court.

The Supreme Court has tasked the committee with examining the financial accounts of private schools during the relevant period and requiring it to submit a report within four months.

Additionally, the Court has directed the schools to provide the necessary documents and bills to the committee to facilitate this investigation.

Court Upholds Refund Order By Allahabad High Court

During the previous hearing, the Supreme Court upheld the decision of the Allahabad High Court, which had directed private schools to refund excessive fees collected during the COVID-19 period.

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The Allahabad High Court had ruled that schools must refund 15 percent of the fees charged for the 2020-21 academic year.

This ruling came after the Supreme Court had requested balance sheets from private schools in Uttar Pradesh to assess the validity of the Allahabad High Court’s order.

The Court found that the balance sheets supported the High Court’s decision and confirmed that schools could retain only 15 percent of the fees collected, requiring them to return the remaining amount to parents.

Refund Process And Schools’ Obligations

The Allahabad High Court’s order also required schools to adjust the fees charged during the 2020-21 academic year in the following academic session.

In addition, it directed that students who had left the schools during this period should also receive a refund of 15 percent of the fees paid for the 2020-21 session.

Schools were given a two-month deadline to complete the refund process. However, the School Federation appealed this decision, leading to the Supreme Court’s involvement in the case.

As the investigation continues, the formation of this committee represents a significant move by the Supreme Court to ensure fairness in the fees charged by private schools and to protect the interests of parents and students.