The draft for Jharkhand State Private School Fee Regulation Control Act 2015 was finally prepared on Tuesday. It will soon be sent to the Human Resource Development (HRD) department for approval after which the fee structure of all private schools across the state will be fixed.
The committee drafting the rule headed by Jharkhand Academic Council (JAC) Chairman Anand Bhushan included Deputy Superintendent of Education (DSE) Jayant Kumar Mishra, Jharkhand Education Project Council’s (JEPC) Administrative Officer PK Choubey, Federation of Jharkhand Abhibhawak Mahasangh’s (a parents’ forum) president Ajay Rai and others.
“As of now, the committee has suggested the rules. State government will hold a discussion after receiving the draft. The Act it will then be implemented. We cannot be confirm whether it be applicable from the ongoing academic session or next session,” said HRD Secretary Aradhana Patnaik. Significantly, private schools of the state have been noticed of violating Right to Education (RTE) norms by charging re-admission, annual and development fee from parents of the students.
Rai has urged the committee members to ensure that the law is implemented at the earliest for the sake of students and their parents. “The rule was made after going through the minute details. Fee Regularity Acts of four different states have been consulted for drafting the Act in Jharkhand,” said Rai.
According to the Act, private schools will have to fulfill the mentioned criteria like strength of students, number of classes, syllabus, mode of language used for teaching, infrastructure and free admission of students under RTE.
Each school will have to submit details of the above to the respective Deputy Commissioner (DC) who would also be the Chairperson of the Jharkhand State Private School Fee Regulation Control Act Committee at the district level. Besides, DC, DSE, District Education Officer (DEO), District Transport Officer (DTO) and one Principal from a Central Board of Secondary Education and another Principal from an Indian Council of Secondary Education will be members of the committee.
A Retired Justice will be heading the similar committee at state level with Primary Education Director, Deputy Director and representative of the Abhibhawak Sangh.