The Uttarakhand High Court on Monday disposed of a public interest litigation (PIL) alleging that several private schools in the state were charging excessive fees and forcing students to purchase books and uniforms from specific shops.
A Division Bench of Justices Ravindra Maithani and Alok Mahara heard the petition filed by Haldwani resident Deepchandra Pandey, who had accused private schools of exploiting parents through inflated fees and restrictive purchasing practices.
The state government informed the court that an advisory committee has been constituted to address such complaints. Guardians or parents who believe they are being overcharged can now submit their grievances directly to this committee.
Appearing via video conference, the Chief Education Officer of Nainital said that the committee would also look into issues related to school uniforms, sports fees, educational trips, and compulsory purchase of books from designated shops.
The Central Board of Secondary Education (CBSE) submitted that it had not received any complaint so far from students or parents in Uttarakhand regarding excessive fees.
After hearing all sides, the Bench directed the petitioner to first approach the advisory committee with his complaint. Observing that a grievance mechanism is now in place, the court disposed of the PIL.
In his plea, Pandey had alleged that many private schools were compelling parents to buy notebooks, books, and uniforms from specific vendors at prices higher than market rates.
The school managements, however, defended their practice, saying that materials were made available at one place for parents’ convenience and to ensure that the academic session began smoothly and on time.
