‘Ensure that Govt. schools don't demand excess money’

The Madras High Court on Friday directed the Commissioner of School Education to issue a circular instructing the headmasters and headmistress of all government schools in the State to not collect any

The Madras High Court on Friday directed the Commissioner of School Education to issue a circular instructing the headmasters and headmistress of all government schools in the State to not collect any amount, other than ₹50 towards Parent Teachers Association (PTA) subscription, while admitting students. Justice D. Krishnakumar also insisted that the circular should warn the heads of stringent action if they were found collecting excess money from the parents. The orders were passed on a writ petition that complained of a government higher secondary school near Chennai demanding ₹100 even for issuing application. B. Muralidharan, president of the PTA of Government higher secondary school at Anakaputhur had filed the case. His counsel M. Baskar told the court that the Chengalpattu Chief Educational Officer had on June 18 issued a set of instructions to be followed while admitting students. According to those instructions, the headmasters and headmistress had been permitted to collect ₹50 alone towards PTA subscription that too only at the time of admission. Yet, the headmistress of the school in Anakaputhur had been demanding ₹100 for issuing applications to admit students in Classes VI to XII, he alleged. After recording his submission, the judge directed the District Educational Officer to conduct an inquiry and submit a report on July 13.