Chennai: “Unaided schools and even those affiliated to the Central Board of Secondary Education (CBSE) would soon be headed by a Committee to determine their fee structures,” declared Chief Minister M. Karunanidhi.

School Education Minister Thangam Thennarasu said that, “Giving a green signal to the formation of the panel the CM would make a formal announcement, and a government order would be issued.”

The committee, established under the Tamil Nadu Schools (Regulation of Collection of Fee) Act 2009, is expected to be headed by a former High Court Judge. It will include State government officials.

Fees for admission to all classes and courses in private schools will come within the panel’s purview.

The Minister said that rules would be finalized in a week’s time as the legislation has already received the Governor’s nod in July.

This action of the government was the consequence of complaints regarding private schools collecting exorbitant fees and the want of a uniform procedure to fix fees.

The fees of a school, determined by the committee, would be based on factors such as its location, infrastructure, expenditure on administration and maintenance and reasonable surplus required for the institution’s growth and development.

The committee would also act as a grievance cell, hearing complaints regarding excess collection of fees of what was determined by the government. If such cases are scanned by the committee then the school’s recognition will be forfeited.

In the case of government schools and those that get government aid, the government would itself fix the fees.