Ranchi, Mar 25: The Jharkhand government on Tuesday said it will take action against private schools charging fees under the pretext of readmission. Education Minister Ramdas Soren also assured that district-level committees on education would meet regularly to curb alleged irregularities in private schools.
“If any complaint is lodged with the district-level committee regarding private schools charging fees in the name of readmission, the government will certainly take action,” Soren said in response to a question from BJP MLAs Pradip Prasad and Naveen Jaiswal in the assembly.
BJP MLA Pradip Prasad raised concerns about irregularities in private schools, particularly regarding fee structures and the exploitation of parents. He demanded uniformity in private school fees across Jharkhand.
Soren said that each school has a management committee, including parents, teachers, and the school principal, which decides the fee structure. If any irregularity is found, the matter is taken to the district-level committee chaired by the deputy commissioner.
The district committee has the authority to impose fines between Rs 50,000 and Rs 2.5 lakh on schools for violations. Non-compliance with norms may also lead to the cancellation of a school’s accreditation, Soren said.
Leader of Opposition Babulal Marandi claimed that tribunal and district-level education committees exist but rarely hold meetings. He urged the government to conduct these meetings monthly, especially before the admission season, and ensure that all members receive the agenda in advance.
Soren accepted the proposal. “I assure you that the meetings of district-level committees will be held regularly, and members will be provided with the agenda a week before the meeting,” he said.
Prasad also demanded a law to regulate private school irregularities, which was supported by Speaker Rabindra Nath Mahato. Soren said that if district committees recommend such a law, the government would consider it.
