Tamil Nadu Cracks Down On Private Schools, Orders To Publish Fee Structure By June 5

The Tamil Nadu government has directed all private schools in the state to publicly display their approved tuition fee structures, as fixed by the Fee Determination Committee, on school notice boards and official websites by June 5. The directive comes after the School Education Department received several complaints regarding the collection of hidden admission charges and excessive fees that exceeded government-approved limits.

"It has already been instructed that all types of private self-financing schools operating under the Directorate of Private Schools should not charge any fees other than tuition fees," the Directorate said in a circular.

The order applies to nursery, primary, matriculation, CBSE, and other private board schools across Tamil Nadu. In addition to displaying the approved fee structure at school premises and online, institutions have been instructed to print class-wise tuition fee details in admission application forms. This is expected to help parents make informed decisions before enrolling their children.

To ensure immediate implementation, the Department has issued detailed instructions to schools and district-level officials. District Educational Officers (Private Schools) have been directed to inspect schools under their jurisdiction and submit compliance reports to the Directorate by June 10. As part of the verification process, officials will also collect photographic evidence showing that approved fee structures are displayed on school notice boards.

As part of the initiative, Information Commissioner V.P.R. Ilamparithi appointed Director of Private Schools S. Suganya as the Public Information Officer responsible for ensuring compliance. Stressing the importance of accountability, Ilamparithi said, "Every penny the parents pay should be accounted for."

Suganya warned that the directive must be followed without exception and stated that schools failing to comply would face official notices, cancellation of recognition and further action from the government. The Directorate of Private Schools is expected to submit a compliance report by June 15.

Case Background

The government order follows a recent ruling by the Tamil Nadu Information Commission, which held that a school's fee structure is public information and must be accessible to parents and the general public.

The ruling came after a legal battle by Coimbatore resident M. Liaquath Ali, who sought details of school fees under the Right to Information (RTI) Act. The battle lasted for over three years as the RTI application was shuffled between the offices of the Chief Educational Officer, the District Educational Officer (Private Schools), and school principals in Coimbatore, according to the Commission's findings. The panel noted that even after receiving notices from the Commission, officials failed to provide complete information.

The Commission also strongly criticised officials for the prolonged delay in providing the requested information. It directed the School Education Department to pay Rs 25,000 in compensation to the applicant and sought explanations from officials who repeatedly transferred the RTI application instead of furnishing the information.