The Supreme Court, in an order today evening, permitted Private CBSE Schools in Rajasthan to collect 100% fees in 6 monthly installments. This order was given after staying the Rajasthan High Court order judgement, which allowed private unaided CBSE schools to collect only 70% tuition fee.

A bench headed by Justice Khanwilkar maintained that schools cannot however, expel students or reserve their exam results over non-payment of fees and neither can they bar such students from appearing for the Class 10 and 12 Board examinations.

The order, which is an interim order, also mentions that the installment arrangement would have to be paid independently of the amount payable to schools in the 2021-22 academic year. The arrears installments will be collected from 5 March, 2021. The Court also clarified that this was an interim arrangement subject to the final orders to be passed after the hearing and that it will not prejudice the rights and contentions of the parents.

The Court also directed the State of Rajasthan to clear the outstanding arrears with respect to the unit costs of private schools, which cover the costs borne by such schools to teach 25% students belonging to Economically Weaker Sections as mandated by the Right to Education Act, within one month.