Private schools in Tamil Nadu have approached the Madras High Court challenging directions that require them to display fee details on school notice boards. The petition seeks to set aside orders issued by the State Information Commission and a subsequent circular from the Directorate of Private Schools.
According to the plea filed by K. Palaniyappan, general secretary of the All India Private Educational Institutions Association, the State Information Commission on May 25 directed the Director of Private Schools to make it mandatory for all private schools to publish the fee particulars fixed by the government.
Following this, the Director of Private Schools issued a circular on June 1 instructing schools to display the fee details on notice boards by June 5. The petitioner contended that it was not examined whether the Right to Information Act applies to private self-financing educational institutions.
The petition argued that the commission’s direction is unsustainable if it falls outside the scope of the RTI Act, and that the director lacks legal authority to compel disclosure of fee structures without an explicit statutory provision. It also raised questions on whether CBSE and ICSE affiliated schools fall under the state school education department’s guidelines, and said enforcing the order within four days without prior notice or hearing violates principles of natural justice.
The petitioner has requested the court to quash both the State Information Commission’s order and the circular issued based on it.
