HC refuses to stay order directing pvt schools to disclose fee details

Chennai: Madras high court refused to stay the operation of a circular issued by the director of private schools instructing all the schools to display their fee structure on notice boards. The court has directed the govt to file its response to the plea.

Justice M Dhandapani passed the order on a plea moved by All India Association of Private Educational Institutions challenging the order passed by the director of private schools.

The court observed that schools could not refuse to disclose fee rates. Even provisions exempting disclosure under the Right to Information Act recognize the need to disclose information when larger public interest is involved, the court said. The judge adjourned the hearing to June 18.

On May 25, the Tamil Nadu State Information Commission directed the director of private schools to make it mandatory for all private schools across the state to display the fee structures approved by the govt on their notice boards.

In view of the commission’s direction, the state govt issued a circular on June 1 directing all private nursery, primary, matriculation, CBSE, and other board-affiliated schools to display their fee details on notice boards by June 5.

When the plea came up for hearing on Friday, the association contended that Supreme Court had held that Right to Information Act does not apply to private educational institutions, and the govt govt has no authority to regulate schools functioning under central education boards such as CBSE.

Opposing the plea, the state submitted that the direction to disclose fee details had been issued pursuant to the commission’s order and only individual schools, and not an association, could challenge the order.