School fee disputes ‘virtually resolved’; Calcutta High Court disposes petitions

KOLKATA: The Calcutta High Court on Friday disposed of a bunch of petitions involving parents of students and 145 schools with regard to fees for online classes during the Covid-19 pandemic, as the disputes have been virtually resolved or narrowed down to a great extent.

For any dispute which is still there in this regard, a division bench comprising justices I P Mukerji and Moushumi Bhattacharya directed that in so far it relates to the recovery of outstanding fees of any student by the educational institutions, it may be resolved through a civil remedy.

The court directed that such disputes be resolved "without the institution taking any coercive step against the student by expelling him/her from the school or withholding his/her certificate, mark sheet, admit card, promotion, appearance in examination etc."

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Acting on a PIL and several other related petitions during the Covid-19 pandemic in which parents of students and 145 private schools were involved, the high court had on October 13, 2020, directed that the schools and other educational institutions could only charge fees for essential services rendered online, with 20 per cent deduction in tuition fees.

The parents had prayed for a reduction in school fees since online classes were being held owing to the pandemic. Physical attendance of students started again in all schools in the state in March this year after Covid-19 cases subsided.