AP Assembly passes three Bills in Amaravati
Amaravati: Assembly on Thursday passed three bills, including the AP School Education Regulatory and Monitoring Commission (Amendment) Bill 2019 which aimed at regulating the fees structure and standards in junior colleges in private sector, besides ensuring 25 per cent reservations to the students from poor families.
Tabling the Bill, Education Minister A Suresh said it aimed at regulating the standards, fee structure and reservations to poorer sections and bringing in junior colleges also under the ambit of the Monitoring Commission, headed by a retired High Court judge.
The Bill became necessary to check the commercialisation of education sector in the State, where private and corporate educational institutions have been charging huge amounts as fees in the name of coaching for the EAMCET, IIT, NEET and other competitive exams along with the regular course in junior colleges which is adversely affecting the government schools and colleges.
The Bill also specified that 25 per cent of seats should be reserved for students from poor families free of cost under Right to Education Act, he said. The commission would ensure standards in the Intermediate education, regulation of fee, competence of teachers, information disclosure, effective inspection, monitoring of junior colleges, and implementation of the provisions of Right to Education Act, punitive measures in case of violation.
The State has 3,339 junior colleges, of which 2,014 are in private sector while 471 are government junior colleges, 730 in government sector and 124 are aided colleges. The Assembly has also passed two other Bills by voice vote.
The Andhra Pradesh Charitable and Hindu Religious Institution and Endowments (Second Amendment) Act 2019, which would enable to review the number of Board members of TTD Board members which is now fixed at 19. The Andhra Pradesh Excise (Amendment) Act 2019 which would enable the State to
levy retail Excise tax, additional retail Excise tax and levy any other tax.