School fee structure is public info, can’t be kept secrect: Tamil Nadu Information Committee

Chennai: All private schools in the state — matriculation, govt-aided and CBSE — should promptly display the Class-wise fee structure on their notice boards at the entrance, publish the same on their websites as well as the enrolment application forms issued to students, the state information commission has ordered.Information commissioner V P R Ilamparithi appointed school education dept director (private schools) S Suganya as the public information officer to ensure compliance and asked the official to file a compliance report before the commission in person on June 15.In a detailed order, the commissioner said transparent fee structure in private schools was essential as parents oftn pay beyond their capacity to ensure that their wards get a good education. “Every penny the parents pay should be accounted for,” the commissioner said.The directions were pronounced when an appeal under RTI claiming delayed and incomplete information regarding fee structures of private schools came up for hearing. The appellant M Liyakathi Ali had in 2022 filed an RTI plea before the public information officer of Coimbatore district chief education office seeking govt’s directives regarding fee fixation by private schools. But the plea was forwarded to the district education officer, who in turn forwarded the plea to all private schools in the district, instead of furnishing the reply. Since the first appeal to the chief education officer was also forwarded to the district education officer, the applicant approached the info panel with the second appeal.When the matter came up for hearing on April 8, the PIO (PA to chief education officer) submitted that a reply to the original petition was furnished in June 2025. Liyakath Ali said it was complete as it said the information can be obtained on the website. The applicant sought action against the PIO for providing false and misleading information and compensation for mental agony and financial loss.Criticising the district appellate authority CEO (private schools), PIO (CEO’s PA) as well as the DEO of Coimbatore district for violating RTI Act, unreasonable delay in providing information and for furnishing false and misleading information, the commission sought explanation from all three as to why disciplinary action should not be initiated against them. The commission also awarded ₹25,000 to the appellant. The commission also ordered the CEO to conduct an inquiry and submit a report in person along with a copy of the information furnished to the appellant along with acknowledgement of receipt of the reply on June 15.