Delhi govt to stop fee hike of schools on DDA, govt lands

NEW DELHI: Delhi government has ordered that any private school built on the lands of DDA or the government cannot increase the fee by showing the recommendations of the Seventh Pay Commission. "The Directorate of the Education has already notified the schools in this regard," said an official.

The official added that such private schools should use their own funds to meet the recommendations of the Seventh Pay Commission. "The government is very specific about fee hike and we do not want any kind of problems to the parents of the private schools. We have examined the accounts of the schools. They have adequate funds available and they do not need to raise the fees," said the official.

The government officials noted that they found online advertisements of the private schools regarding the fee hike.

"All the notifications of the fee hike should be withdrawn within 15 days or else the government will be forced to take action against them," the official added. He further said that new sessions in schools have started from April 1 and the department is getting complaints from the parents that the schools are raising the fees.

The government has also asked the district-level deputy directors of education to ensure that fee anomaly committees functioning in their areas look into the matter. The inspection will happen at two levels. "In the preliminary phase, we will inquire if the schools have any money in their reserve funds, as the pay commission guidelines clearly state that if such funds exist then fees cannot be hiked. We may also get chartered accountants in the committee to do an audit of a school's accounts," the official said.

Earlier, the Delhi government had warned all private schools in the national capital that they should not ask for the Aadhaar number of children while admitting them to entry-level classes under the economically weaker section (EWS) or the disadvantaged group (DG) categories. They have also been asked not to refuse admission to students on the grounds of distance range.

"Private unaided recognised schools are directed to ensure and facilitate the admission of selected candidates of EWS and DG categories in the respective class without creating any hindrance," the Directorate of Education (DoE) said in a letter to the schools.

The Delhi government had earlier also taken various steps to control the fee hike.