Jaipur, May 4 (IANS): In partial relief for parents amid the ongoing pandemic, the Supreme Court on Monday asked private schools of Rajasthan to charge 15 per cent less annual fees from students in academic session 2020-21 and bar no one from attending actual or virtual classes, or withhold their results over non-payment.

The court had earlier this year stayed the Rajasthan High Court ruling which said that private schools should charge 70 per cent of the tuition fees from parents in wake of pandemic. The private schools had subsequently approached the Supreme Court soon after the decision and sought permission to collect the full fees.

A Supreme Court bench of Justice A.M. Khanwilkar and Justice Krishna Murari meanwhile upheld the High Court's judgment in rejecting the challenge to the validity of the Rajasthan Schools (Regulation of Fee) Act, 2016 and the Rules framed under the law governing fixation of school fees by the government-mandated procedures.

The Rajasthan government had said it was awaiting final orders from the Supreme Court and then shall decide how much fee parents should pay.

Education Minister Govind Singh Dotasara said: "We want that court's regard should be maintained and there should not be any injustice to parents as well."

The Rajasthan High Court, on December 18, 2020, had announced the verdict saying the schools running online classes should collect 70 per cent fees.

On February 8, the apex court, in its interim order, said that parents will have to pay the complete fee for 2020-21, but, allowed them to pay fees in six instalments.