For pvt schools, Delhi govt directs 15% haircut in monthly fees

New Delhi: As the tussle between private schools and the Delhi government continues to draw out in the courts, the Directorate of Education here on Thursday issued directions to as many as 460 private schools in the city, directing them to charge fees only on a monthly basis and after a haircut of 15 per cent on the overall monthly fee.

The Delhi government, while announcing the directions, said that the move came to "clear the confusion and give much-needed relief to parents". The orders issued by the Delhi government make it clear that these directions must apply for fees charges for the 2020-21 academic year and the 2021-22 academic session.

Explaining how the instructions are to be followed, the Delhi government said, "If the monthly fee of the school in FY 2020-21 is Rs 3000, the schools are entitled to collect the school fee per month at Rs 2550 per month after deduction of 15 per cent. If the school has collected the fee in excess to the direction referred above, the same shall be refunded to the parents or adjusted in the subsequent month of fee to the parents."

The order added that this refund be sent to students in six equal monthly installments starting from June 10, 2021.

Moreover, the Delhi government has encouraged private schools to provide additional concessions to students over and above the ones mentioned in these directions.

In addition, the Delhi government has said that these directions have been issued in order to stop private schools from profiteering and commercialising and that if in case any student is unable to pay the fees, even with the haircut, the schools must consider their representation sympathetically on a case-to-case basis.

In the meantime, the private schools have been directed to not strike off the name of any student from their rolls for being unable to pay the fees due to the "current hardship".

This order comes after over 450 private schools came together and challenged two earlier orders of the Delhi government in the Delhi High Court. These orders from April and August 2020, prohibited the schools from charging annual and development fees indefinitely.

While a single-judge bench of the Delhi High Court had allowed the schools to charge fees, it had cited that a 15 per cent haircut could be considered given that students are not using all facilities.

Soon, this order was challenged by the Delhi government before a division bench and while it had posted the matter for July 12, the Delhi government had filed a Special Leave Petition in the Supreme Court to stop private schools from charging fees.

However, the top court refused to stay the single-judge bench's orders, leaving the matter to be heard on July 12.

But the Delhi government has made it clear in its Thursday order that all other instructions contained in the April and August orders with respect to continuing to provide kids with education shall continue to apply.