Taking note of long standing issues of parents regarding unfair fee hikes by private and unaided schools in Delhi, the Directorate of Education (DoE) has intensified its monitoring of private schools and initiated a complete crackdown.
The issue has hit middle-and-lower income families after the COVID-19 pandemic with some schools reportedly raising fees by 25 to 30 per cent.
Some schools have also been accused by many guardians of using coercive methods, including the withholding of admit cards for board examinations or threatening to expel students for outstanding, supposedly unauthorised fees.
In order to address the issue, the top-level teams including district magistrate-led teams have been entrusted with investigating fee-related complaints.
Under the investigation, if the schools found violating the Delhi School Education Act and Rules, 1973 can be suspended or they may lose their school recognition. It can also lead to the potential government takeover of their management.
To safeguard the interests of students belonging to economically weaker and marginalised sections, the DoE has also posted a specific nodal officer. This officer will particularly deal with grievances about denial of textbooks, uniforms, or discriminatory admission policies.
Fees charged by recognised private schools in Delhi are governed by the Delhi School Education Act and Rules, 1973. Through its past judgments, courts in the national capital have directed the DoE to ensure that recognised private schools do not hike fees arbitrarily and illegally.
