A committee will be formed at school and district level for fee determination of private schools in Jharkhand. In this regard, Secretary of School Education and Literacy Department Umashankar Singh has written a letter to all Commissioners and Deputy Commissioners.

In the letter sent to the districts, it has been asked to constitute a fee committee in the light of Jharkhand Education Tribunal (Amendment) Act 2017. As per the provision of the Act, it has been asked to constitute a fee committee at school level and a district committee at district level within 15 days. The Education Department has also been asked to provide information in this regard.

As per the provision of the Act, a proposal has to be placed before the committee constituted at the school level for fee determination. The committee will consider various reasons for fee hike.

There is a provision in the Act to take into consideration the facilities being provided to the students for quality education in the school, expenses on administration and maintenance, salary to teachers and employees, annual salary increment, expenditure on students from the total income of the school, revenue required for development of education and expansion of the school and other necessary factors. The committee will approve the fees within 30 days of receiving the proposed fee structure.

The committee constituted for fee determination at the school level will include teachers along with the parents of the children. As per the provision, the representative nominated by the private school management will be the chairman of the committee. The school principal, secretary, three teachers nominated by the school management and four parents nominated by the teachers' union will be its members. The school management will have to give information about the agenda and meeting of fee determination one week in advance.

If the school committee fails to determine the fee within the stipulated time, then the management will place this proposal before the district level committee. If the fee is increased by more than 10 percent in the school as compared to the previous year, then also it will be sent to the district committee.

A committee will be constituted under the chairmanship of the Deputy Commissioner at the district level. The committee will include the District Education Officer, District Education Superintendent, District Transport Officer, two principals of the private school, MPs and MLAs of the concerned area, two parents and a chartered accountant. If the school is not satisfied with the decision of the district level committee, then it can appeal against it before the divisional commissioner.