UT Administrator Kaptan Singh Solanki has approved the draft policy framed by the Chandigarh Education department, for keeping a check on the fee hike by the private unaided schools in the city.

The education department would take suggestions from various stakeholders before the policy gets formally notified.

What does the draft policy say? According to sources "As expenditure involved for junior and senior classes may vary significantly, the exercise may be bifurcated for each school in two broad categories, one up to class V and the other for class VI onwards. This, while respecting freedom of schools to set its quality standard, will only ensure that reasonable fee is charged in return for the level of service being rendered".

Schools will not be able to take any profit from students or parents in the form of admission fees, re-admission fees or through sale of books, stationery items and uniforms.

To make the whole process uniform and easy to comprehend and maintain transparency, the audited expenditure of every private unaided school would be open to verification by the government-appointed auditors/chartered accountants.

The Education department will hold dialogue with private school heads and parents before the final draft of the policy is officially notified.

In all likelihood, the fee regulation policy will be notified before the commencement of the next academic session.