Bhubaneswar: The Odisha government has sent directives to all private aided and un-aided schools in view of the Supreme Court’s recent judgment on the reduction of schools fees due to the COVID-19 pandemic.
The schools that have signed the MoU have been asked by the government to follow the Orissa High Court verdict and implement the waiver as per the agreed terms stated in its notification dated January 19 this year.
The remaining schools across the state shall collect fees for the academic year 2019-2020 with a 15% cut for the academic year 2020-21.
Parents who have already paid the full fees will be adjusted by the school management authorities in the subsequent instalments.
The School and Mass Education department has asked all stakeholders, including various Parents Associations and School Management Authorities, to strictly adhere to the Supreme Court guidelines issued on May 3.
The guidelines
- The school Management of the concerned private unaided school shall collect annual school fees from their students for the academic year 2019-20, but by providing deduction of 15 per cent on that amount in lieu of unutilised facilities by the students during the relevant period of the academic year 2020-21.
- The amount so payable by the concerned students be paid in six equal monthly instalments before 05.08.2021 as noted in our order dated 08.02.2021.
- Regardless of the above, it will be open to the concerned schools to give further concession to their students or to evolve a different pattern for giving concession over and above those noted in clauses (i) and (ii) above.
- The school Management shall not debar any student from attending either online classes or physical classes on account of nonpayment of fees, arrears/outstanding fees including the instalments, referred to above, and shall not withhold the results of the examinations of any student on that account.
- If any individual request is made by the parent/ward finding it difficult to remit annual fees for the academic year 2020-21 in the above terms, the school Management to consider such representation on case to case basis sympathetically.
- The above arrangement will not affect the collection of fees for the academic year 2021-22, as is payable by the students of the concerned school as and when it becomes due and payable.
- The school Management shall not withhold the name of any student/candidate for the ensuing Board examinations for Classes X and XII on the ground of non-payment of fee/arrears for the academic year 2020-21, if any, on obtaining undertaking of the concerned parents/students.
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