Private schools ke fee hikes har saal headlines banate hain. Parents ko lagta hai unke paas choice limited hai, aur schools ko apne costs aur quality justify karne hote hain. Fee regulation isi tug-of-war ka legal expression hai.
Kahi jagah law allow karta hai:
- Fee increase pe caps ya formula-based limits,
- School management ko prior approval ya justification dena,
- Transparency in fee break-up, development charges, and optional items,
- Parents’ association ko consultative role.
Schools ke side se argument hota hai ki unko teacher salaries, infrastructure, training, technology, aur compliance costs cover karne hote hain. Over-regulation se innovation aur quality hit ho sakte hain, specially jahan government support minimal ho.
Courts generally middle path search karte hain – profiteering and capitation fee punish karte hain, lekin reasonable surplus and autonomy allow karte hain. “Education as business” vs “education as service” debate yahin se fuel hoti hai.
Parents ke liye practical move yeh hai ki contract terms, fee policy, aur increase mechanism admission se pehle hi clearly samajh lein. Later legal challenge last option hona chahiye, negotiation and collective representation pehle.