Telangana Education Commission pitches for private school fee regulatory commission

The proposed commission will be headed by a former Supreme Court or High Court judge and comprise senior academicians, professors, chartered accountants, and management members

Hyderabad: The Telangana Education Commission, which submitted a report on private schools fee regulation to the State government on Friday, recommended the constitution of Telangana Private Unaided Schools Fee Regulatory Commission.

The proposed commission will be headed by a former Supreme Court or High Court judge and comprise senior academicians, professors, chartered accountants, and management members.

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The commission also recommended a district-wise fee regulatory committee, which will be headed by the Collector.

Telangana Education Commission Chairperson Akunuri Murali, along with Commission members Prof PL Vishweshwar Rao, Ch Venkatesh and Jyotsna, submitted the report to Education Department Secretary Dr Yogita Rana at Secretariat here.

The Education Commission suggested the State government to enact legislation instead of merely issuing an order, which does not stand in the court of law.

Apart from proposing fee fixation duly considering the consumer price index, the commission suggested a lock-in period of three years. It wanted fee nominal fixation considering the school’s building, infrastructure, revenue, expenditure, labs and playgrounds among other amenities.

It also suggested the government to fix minimum fee structure on the lines of minimum fee fixed for the professional programmes by the AFRC.

After consulting all stakeholders, the commission categorised private schools into five categories – international, corporate, private, private budget and rural schools.

Among other commission’s recommendations include mandatory disclosure of fee particulars and infrastructure details on the school website, stopping forceful purchase of stationery, uniform, textbooks and notebooks in the school premises.

Apart from fixing the fee, the TEC wanted the government to entrust monitoring, particularly the learning outcomes in the private schools.

“The State government is keen on bringing private schools fee regulation. A legislation may be expected in the upcoming budget session,” said Prof PL Vishweshwar Rao, member Telangana Education Commission.