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HC to constitute committee on ‘fleecing’ of students, parents

KT NEWS SERVICE. Dated: 3/12/2015 2:09:13 PM

SRINAGAR, Mar 11: The High Court has granted time in Public Interest Litigation (PIL) filed by some parents to suggest few experts for a committee that will examine the alleged fleecing by some schools in the name of purchase of books and stationary.
The PIL was primarily filed by the parents seeking court directions to ensure restoration of hygiene in schools affected by the September floods.
“The learned counsel submitted that in the name of purchase of books, stationery and issuance of identity cards some schools are allegedly fleecing the children and their parents. Learned counsel prayed that a committee of experts be constituted who will make recommendations to deal with this menace which is rampant in some schools,” the court said in its order passed by a division bench comprising of Justice M H Attar and Justice A M Magrey.
The court ordered: “Learned counsel (G A Lone) was requested to suggest few names of the persons of high reputation who could be members of the said committee. Learned counsel sought time for the same. Learned counsel is granted time to file response wherever needed.”
The matter has been listed on March 24 for next hearing. On November 18, 2014 the High Court had asked government to “favorably” consider promotion of students from pre-nursery to Class 7 based on their assessment of periodical examinations, in view of the floods which ravaged the Kashmir Valley in September.
However, the court in its fresh order said that the grievances of the petitioner has been addressed by the government by ordering the mass promotion of students from 1st to class 11 except for the 10th and 12th standard.
On January 6, the High Court had asked the private educational institutes in Kashmir not to go for hike in tuition fee charged from the students arbitrarily.
The court had also directed 90 educational institutions to waive off the tuition fee from the students for the months of September and October 2014 when the schools remained closed due to devastating floods.
A division bench of the High Court comprising of Justice M.H Attar and Justice A. M Magrey had passed the orders in the same PIL citing the example of some schools, which have chosen to go for an arbitrary hike in the school tuition fee.
“Even the schools that have been served notices by the honorable court last year have charged the fee from the students,” advocate G A Lone had pleaded before the court.
“Till next date before the bench these educational institutes shall not increase the fee which is being charged from the students. It is further provided that till next date theses institutes shall not compel the students to pay fee for September and October 2014,” the Court had said in its order.