Kathmandu, September 14 The bill on regular and free education, which was endorsed by the Parliamentary Education and Health Committee today, has set the scholarship criteria for private schools. As per the bill, private schools, including those run by educational trusts, will have to provide scholarship to 10 to 15 per cent students from Grade I to XII on the basis of the number of students enrolled in the school. A school having up to 500 students will have to provide scholarship to  a minimum of 10 per cent students. Likewise, a school having 500 to 800 students will have to provide scholarship to 12 per cent students, while those with more than 800 students will have to provide scholarship to 15 per cent students. The original bill registered by the government in the Parliament had proposed 10 per cent scholarship in private schools. The new bill has also cancelled the class-wise scholarship provision. Public schools are not allowed to charge any fee for basic level education. “The new bill does not allow public schools to charge any fee on any pretext,” said former minister and committee member Gagan Thapa.  The bill also states that the schools can impart basic level education in local languages. “The bill addresses only the fundamental right to education and should not be taken as the government’s education policy,” committee member Yogesh Bhattarai said. The bill also states that local levels can partner with government agencies to improve the quality of education in public schools.