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Madhya Pradesh High Court stays Jabalpur Collector's order seeking refund of fees collected by 11 private schools (Representative File Photo)
The Madhya Pradesh High Court has stayed the Jabalpur Collector's order asking 11 private educational institutions to refund the fees collected after a steep hike.
The Madhya Pradesh High Court has provided major relief to 11 private educational institutions in Jabalpur, staying an order issued by the Jabalpur Collector seeking refund of fees worth around Rs 81 crore collected from students.
Earlier this year, an investigation led by the Jabalpur Collector found that several private schools had arbitrarily increased their fees from 2018 to 2024, exceeding regulatory limits. The Collector's order, now stayed by the High Court, directed 11 of the schools to refund the overcharged fees.
The controversy erupted after it came to light that over 240 private schools in Jabalpur had hiked school fees without giving proper notification to the administration or the state government. Under tuition increase regulations, schools must notify parents and administration if tuition increases by more than 10 percent.
For increases above 15%, prior approval from the state government must be obtained. Some schools were found to be in breach of these rules. The district administration responded quickly and registered FIRs against 11 reputed private schools in the first phase of investigation.
The heads and directors of these institutions have been arrested and the district administration has ordered the refund of overcharged fees. The investigation also revealed the fee hikes were part of a larger scheme involving contacts with booksellers to force parents to buy books and supplies only from designated vendors.
The High Court stayed the Collector's order, providing immediate relief to the affected schools. The court also issued notices to the state government and the tax collector.
