NOIDA: Hearing a petition filed by the parents of Noida-Ghaziabad against private schools charging fee arbitrarily, the Allahabad High Court has directed the state government to compensate the petitioners with exemplary costs as may be decided by the Court in case it fails to file a response on what action has been taken for compliance of the Right of Children to Free and Compulsory Education Act (RTE), 2009 as also Article 21-A of the Constitution by the next date.The state government which is a respondent in the case had to hear tough words from the single bench of Justice Manoj Misra on October 5 when the court had directed it to file a counter report on February 5.The government has now sought more time from the court for compliance of the high court order. However, the court noted on Thursday that no counter report has been filed by the state on subsequent hearings on February 5 and February 22.The petition has been filed against different private schools of the state for indulging in “arbitrary fee hike” including those in Gautam Budh Nagar, Ghaziabad and Kanpur.These were clubbed with the writ petition 46207 filed by Shailendra Kumar Singh of Ghaziabad and others against 12 respondents in 2017.In an order passed by the court on January 12 this year, the Court had directed that an official not below the rank of an additional secretary in primary education department should file an affidavit in the matter.“Pursuant to the orders dated 12th January and 5th February, learned standing counsel has produced a request letter issued by special secretary, government of UP, Lucknow dated 21st February to seek further time to file counter affidavit by disclosing that the matter is under active consideration and since two departments, namely basic education and secondary education department are involved, he has prayed for more time to file counter affidavit.Considering the importance of the matter, this court considers it appropriate to give one more opportunity to the state to submit its response as solicited in the orders passed by this court,” reads the order dated February 22.Listing the case on March 15, the court has said that if by the next date, counter affidavit is not filed, the “respondents shall compensate the petitioners with exemplary costs as many be decided by the court on the next date.”Around 29 cases which have been filed against different private schools of the state for indulging in “arbitrary fee hike” by them including those in Gautam Budh Nagar, Ghaziabad and Kanpur.

Stay updated with all the Noida Latest News headlines here. For more exclusive & live news updates from all around India, stay connected with NYOOOZ.