Sisodia orders show-cause notice to take over two Maxfort schools

The decision was taken after Delhi Deputy Chief Minister Manish Sisodia ordered crackdown on arbitrary actions of the private schools in Delhi.

“These schools were asked to respond within 15 days on the show-cause notices. The notices were issued under Section 20 of the Delhi School Education Act 1973,” said a senior officer of the Delhi government. 

“If the reply is not satisfactory or not received within the deadline, the Director, Directorate of Education has powers under Section 20 of the Act to take over the management of these private schools,” he added. According to the officers of the education department the Maxfort School Parents’ Association in Rohini and Pitampura filed complaints on November 24, 2015, alleging various irregularities and violations. 

In the complaint, the parents’ association alleged land scam, formation of fake trusts and societies for receiving capitation fee against admission, money laundering, financial irregularities and Bank Account Manipulation, tax evasion through manipulation of accounts with the help of auditors and the Directorate of Education.

“Incomplete, fake, forged records regarding EWS admissions have been submitted by school management to the Directorate of Education regularly. No physical verification of data was conducted, harassment of children and parents was a regular affair by the school management,” informed the officer citing from the complaints. 

A committee set up by the department on directions of Sisodia inspected the school and found that the school failed to show the records prior to 2014-15 besides violations in EWS admissions. The school was also found committing irregularities in appointment of teachers. They  were also found to be collecting capitation fee and donations from parents for admission.

As per the recommendations of the District Magistrate, the government is also writing letters to DDA seeking action against the schools for violation of lease condition, Registrar of Societies for possible fake chains of Maxfort schools and also the Economic Offence Wing of the Delhi Police to probe the financial irregularities.