Calcutta High Court has directed schools in West Bengal not to deny promotion or withhold report cards of any student to the next session. It includes all the schools covered in a PIL over fees during the Covid-19 pandemic. The decision was taken after receiving allegations from parents regarding schools not following the earlier interim order to allow students to be promoted to higher classes in the new academic session with normal educational facilities.
The conflict has started with an official notice of G D Birla Centre for Education where it was mentioned that the school will reopen on Monday, April 11, 2022, for students who have cleared all dues. A division bench comprising justices I P Mukerji and Moushumi Bhattacharya said that the notice implies students who have not paid the fees, would not be allowed to join classes.
The bench has directed G D Birla Centre for Education to immediately withdraw the notice allowing the students to attend classes in normal course. In addition, the bench has also said that all other schools will have to follow the directions in this order. According to HC, it has also received allegations from parents that numerous students have been debarred from classes for nonpayment of fees.
However, the advocate for the school has stated that some guardians have paid insignificant or lesser amounts of fees in the last academic year insisting that their children would be allowed to attend school. “Each of the guardians or students shall make payment of the fee determined as payable by the Joint Special Officers to the schools or teaching institutions within two weeks of such determination,” the bench had said. HC has asked the joint special officers to file a report on this issue by June 6.
With Inputs from PTI.