Stewart School in Cuttack. Telegraph picture

Cuttack, April 22: Orissa High Court today imposed restrictions on collection of enhanced fees by Stewart School, Cuttack, from April 2011.

The single judge bench of Justice M.M. Das issued the interim stay order on a petition challenging the fee hike. Over 20 parents of students studying in the school had filed the petition.

The court has fixed April 26 for further hearing on the case while issuing notices to the chairman and secretary of the management of the school and the state school and mass education department to file their respective responses by April 25. The petitioners have sought judicial intervention against increase in annual fees from Rs 428 to Rs 1,500 along with a monthly fee hike of Rs 100.

The fee pay-in-slip book provided to the students had indicated that the revised annual fees of Rs 1,500 included Rs 750 for the smart classes that had been introduced from this academic session, insurance for children, printing of school diary, magazine and hymn book, staff welfare fund, establishment fees and issuance of identity cards.

The monthly fees of Rs 720 to Rs 800 for different classes included tuition fees, development fees, computer fees and miscellaneous fees.

The petition has alleged that the revised fee was imposed without any prior discussion with the parents.

Earlier, on April 15 a section of the parents had staged a protest at the school and demanded a roll back in the fee hike.