Challenge HC order on TCs with fee status: AIADMK

OPS said that due to COVID-19 infection and lockdown many parents could not pay fees due to financial loss and therefore, most of the parents have admitted their children to government schools.

“Even government had announced that TC was not required for the children to get admitted in the government schools. However, when certain private schools filed a case, the court made TC mandatory for new admissions. Similarly, following the request from the petitioners, the court also allowed the self-financing institutions to mention fees unpaid status in the TC,” Panneerselvam said.

Stating that private schools already have the registration details of the students, who have not paid the fees, the AIADMK leader said, “mentioning fees dues in the TC was unnecessary and it had increased stress and inferior feeling among the students.”

Panneerselvam said an educationist in UNICEF also said that the private schools move to issue TC with fees status looks like punishing the innocent children for parents’ meagre resources. “He (educationist) also said that functioning educational institutions is not like other business and it was a shame that private schools have approached the court,” he added.

OPS also pointed out that despite less expenditure during the lockdown period, many private schools have also not reduced the fees. “Considering the welfare and the situation of poor students, it was the duty of the government to solve the issue,” he said adding, therefore, Chief Minister MK Stalin should immediately take measures to go for an appeal in the higher court against the order with regard to TC issue.

Meanwhile, the Opposition AIADMK has postponed its state-wide protest demonstration to December 17. A party statement on Thursday said due to the sad demise of General Bipin Rawat in the chopper crash the protest was rescheduled. It said the protest is to demand reduction in state tax on petrol and diesel and among others including urging the government for adequate rehabilitation for the rain-affected people besides compensating farmers for their crop loss due to floods.