Jamshedpur: The Jharkhand School Education and Literacy Department has taken a firm stand against the arbitrary fee hikes by private schools. Following a formal complaint lodged by BJP leader and “Shiksha Satyagraha” founder Ankit Anand, the state government has ordered the formation and activation of fee regulation committees at both school and district levels.
Sita Pushpa, Additional Secretary of the department, issued a directive on March 11 to all Deputy Commissioners, District Education Officers (DEOs), and District Education Superintendents (DSEs). The order mandates the functional setup of these committees as per the Jharkhand Education Tribunal (Amendment) Act, 2017.
With these committees becoming active statewide, experts expect a significant crackdown on unregulated school charges and a push for greater transparency in private education costs.
Key Directives and Background
The department has demanded a detailed report on actions taken regarding fee control and regulation across the state. Key points of the development include:
- Mandatory Compliance: While the 2017 Act made these committees compulsory, many remained dormant or unformed, allowing private schools to charge excessive fees without oversight.
- Political Intervention: Ankit Anand raised the issue in early March, writing to the Union Ministry of Education and the Jharkhand Education Secretary. He highlighted the “economic exploitation” of parents due to the lack of active monitoring bodies.
- Government Response: Acting on this correspondence, the department issued the new directives and provided a verified copy of the order to Anand as confirmation.
Impact on Jamshedpur
In Jamshedpur, the District Education Department has already begun preparations to convene committee meetings.
Ankit Anand expressed his gratitude to both the Central and State governments. “This step provides massive relief to parents. The lack of effective monitoring allowed schools to operate without transparency. Active committees will now ensure accountability and stop arbitrary fee hikes,” he said.
