New Delhi: The Madras high court has initiated suo motu contempt of court proceedings against at least nine private schools across Tamil Nadu which are demanding full fee payment from parents, violating the court’s order on collection of fees in instalments during the COVID-19 pandemic.In an order on July 17, the HC permitted schools and colleges in the state to collect 75% of the fees in two separate instalments – 40% of the fees in the first instalment and another 35% immediately after the institutions reopen to conduct physical classes. However, complaints were received from parents against at least 111 schools across the state over the collection of complete fees, according to a report in the New Indian Express, citing the education department’s reply to the court. But, based on a probe by chief education officers in respective districts, at least 97 complaints were found to be baseless. Only nine schools were found to have violated the HC’s order by collecting full fees.Justice Anand Venkatesh passed the order after hearing the submissions made by the school education department deputy secretary K. Jeyalalitha.Also read: Not Providing Gadgets, Internet to Poor Students for Online Classes Is ‘Digital Apartheid’: Delhi HCShe said, according to a report in The Hindu, that initially show-cause notices were issued to 23 schools, out of which four were found to be violating the order. Following that, the department created exclusive e-mail IDs for filing complaints in every district. Soon after that, more than 100 complaints were received through these email IDs.According to the report, the HC issued notices to PSBB Millennium School in Coimbatore, and Sri Shankara Vidya Kendriya Matriculation Higher Secondary School and Hussain Memorial Matriculation Higher Secondary School in Tiruvallur district.Notices were also issued to P.S. Chidambara Nadar Senior Secondary School, Shatriya Vidyasala Matriculation Higher Secondary School and S.H.N.V. Matriculation Higher Secondary School, all in Virudhunagar district. The other schools are Muslim Higher Secondary School and Don Bosco Matriculation Higher Secondary School, both in Ramanathapuram district.Madras high court. Photo: Wikimedia Commons/Yoga Balaji CC BY 3.0CBSE schools in Tamil Nadu under scannerWhile passing interim orders on another similar case, the judge insisted upon initiating an investigation on CBSE schools too, said The Hindu in its report.The counsel for the CBSE in its earlier submission to the court had said that the board has received no complaints on fee violations. Despite that, the court asked the counsel to create an exclusive email ID, where parents can send complaints on fee violations.The HC directed the counsel to submit a detailed report by October 14 on the violations.Similar scenario in other states According to an Indian Express report earlier this month, parents of at least 25 schools in Mumbai alleged that schools are continuing to charge fees for facilities which are not accessible to students, such as transport, laboratory, library as well as for sports day and annual day among others.A parent of a student studying at a school in Bhayander told Indian Express that they are being charged the entire annual fee under the head of tuition fee. And, the school has not provided any bifurcation of the fees charged.Another parent whose child studies at a school in Ghatkopar East complained that on expressing their inability to pay the fees, the school has asked them to submit bank statements and letters citing salary cuts from their employers.The report said that some parents alleged that many schools have barred students from appearing for examinations until fees are paid in full. Some have even alleged that many schools are denying students access to online teaching over non-payment of fees.According to the report, parents said they would file separate petitions in the Bombay HC against the respective schools for continuing to charge hiked fees despite remote learning being in progress and the impact of the pandemic on household earnings.A photo of an empty classroom in Delhi-NCR. Photo: Reuters/FileIn June, the Bombay HC had stayed a May 8 government resolution that barred schools from charging fees for the academic year 2020-21 but allowed to continue charging fees for the previous academic year.The situation is not very different in the national capital, as many parents have alleged that several private schools have been denying students access to online education over non-payment of fees amid the COVID-19 lockdown, according to a Hindustan Times report.The Delhi high court in an August 25 order restrained schools from charging annual and development fees from the parents of students during the month of July till further orders, according to a news report.The school contended that it can levy the annual and development charges since the lockdown is over, said the report. Since none of the schools has physically opened, the Delhi government responded, schools cannot charge annual and development fees. However, the court said parents have to pay the tuition fees.Also read: Does ‘Merit’ Have a Caste?On August 30, the directorate of education had asked all private schools in Delhi not to refuse access to online classes to students over non-payment of fees during the lockdown due to financial problems.Despite the orders, parents of several students of the Delhi Public School (DPS), Mathura Road, alleged the school had removed the names of some students from online classes over non-payment of fees, said another report.The report quoted the father of a Class III student, who runs a garment shop in Chandni Chowk, and said he could not submit the fees this academic session as he is out of work since March. But, even after promising to submit all dues by October, the school allegedly removed his child from the Microsoft Teams, an online video conferencing app.As per the report, many schools, such as ASN Senior Secondary School in Mayur Vihar, have issued notices to parents asking them to submit dues at the earliest, failing which the schools will deny online learning access to students.Schools are not being able to pay salaries to the staff because parents are not paying fees, and hence, have asked those who are unable to pay fees due to financial problems to produce “documentary proof”, the report said, quoting a school principal.Also read: How a Principal Led a Small School in Rural Bengal to National ProminenceWhat does the data say?Over 39% of parents of children studying in private schools in five states have reportedly complained of paying exorbitant fees for the ongoing academic year during the lockdown, a new survey by Oxfam India said.The assessment was carried out across Odisha, Bihar, Jharkhand, Chhattisgarh and Uttar Pradesh (UP), and close to 1,200 parents and 500 teachers were surveyed.Of the five states surveyed, the governments in Bihar, Chhattisgarh, Jharkhand and UP directed schools to not hike their fees or pressurise parents in making fee payments during the lockdown. Odisha issued an appeal from the chief minister’s office, requesting schools to consider reducing or deferring fee payment.Despite the orders and pleas from the governments, parents were allegedly forced to pay hiked fees. In UP and Odisha, over 50% parents had to pay increased fees, the report said.The report also highlighted that around 8% parents of students in these states were being charged fees for uniforms, at a time when schools are providing remote learning.