TN orders private schools to publicly display approved fee structure by June 5
Chennai, June 2
In a significant move aimed at improving transparency in school fee collection, the Tamil Nadu Directorate of Private Schools has ordered all private educational institutions across the state to prominently display their approved tuition fee structures on notice boards and official websites by June 5.
The directive applies to nursery, primary, matriculation, CBSE and other private board schools functioning in Tamil Nadu.
The order follows a recent ruling by the Tamil Nadu Information Commission, which held that a school's fee structure constitutes public information and must be made accessible to parents and the public.
The Information Commission, in its order issued on May 29, instructed the Directorate of Private Schools to ensure compliance and submit a report by June 15.
Acting on the directive, the department has now issued detailed instructions to schools and district-level officials for immediate implementation.
According to the order, school managements and principals must display the tuition fees approved by the Fee Determination Committee in a manner visible to parents and the public.
In addition to displaying the information on school notice boards, institutions have been instructed to publish the approved fee details on their respective websites.
The Directorate has also made it mandatory for schools to include class-wise tuition fee details in student admission application forms.
Officials say the move is intended to ensure that parents are fully aware of the approved fee structure before seeking admission for their children.
To monitor compliance, District Educational Officers (Private Schools) have been directed to conduct inspections of schools within their jurisdictions and verify whether the orders have been implemented.
They have been asked to submit detailed compliance reports to the Directorate on or before June 10.
As part of the verification process, schools will be required to provide photographic evidence showing the display of approved fee structures.
The Directorate will maintain these records as proof of implementation and compliance.
Director of Private Schools S. Suganya warned that the order must be followed without exception. She said schools that fail to comply with the directive would face official notices and further action from the government.
Education officials believe the measure will help address frequent complaints from parents regarding lack of clarity in school fee collection and will promote greater accountability among private educational institutions across Tamil Nadu.
— IANS
Reader Comments
Good step but what about the 'other fees' like development, infrastructure, sports, and what not? They always find a way to add extra charges. The Fee Determination Committee should also monitor those.
I work in a private school in Chennai. Many schools keep two set of fee books - one for the government and one for parents. Let's see if this order changes anything. The photographic evidence requirement is smart though 📸
Kudos to the Tamil Nadu Information Commission! But I'm skeptical about enforcement. Schools have powerful lobbies in TN. Remember how they opposed the fee regulation act? Let's hope the Directorate actually takes action against violators.
As a parent of two kids in a CBSE school in Coimbatore, I welcome this! In 2023, we paid Rs 85,000 but the receipt showed only Rs 65,000 as tuition fee. The rest was 'miscellaneous' without any breakdown. This transparency is long overdue 🙏
Nice move, but the real issue is the huge gap between what the Fee Determination Committee approves and what schools actually charge. Also, what about the 'voluntary donations' that are basically compulsory? Let's tackle the root cause, not just symptoms.
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