Delhi Government prohibits private unaided schools from fee hike; warns of penal action for failing to comply with directions [Read Order]

THE Delhi Government today issued an order directing all Heads/Managers of the private unaided recognized schools of Delhi not to charge any fee except the Tuition fee till further orders.

The detailed order passed by the Directorate of Education, Government of NCT of Delhi, also includes following directions to all heads/Managers of private unaided recognized schools of Delhi:

•  Heads of the schools shall not demand and collect the Tuition fee from the parents/students on a quarterly basis. The fee shall be collected on a monthly basis only.
• Not to increase any fee in the academic session 2020-21 till further directions irrespective of the fact whether or not the school is running on the private land or land allotted by DDA/Other Government Land Owning Agencies.
• The schools running on the land allotted by the DDA/Other Land owning Agencies with the condition to seek approval of Director (Education) before any fee increase, shall collect the Tuition fee on the basis of last fee structure approved by Director (Education) or as per fee statement filed by them during the academic session 2015-2016
• To ensure provide the access of online education/material/classes to all students without any discrimination, by providing them ID and password immediately to get them online education facility.
• Heads of the school shall, in no case, deny ID & password to those students/parents for getting online access of educational facilities etc. to those students who are unable to pay the school fee due to financial crisis arising out of the closure of business activities in an ongoing lockdown situation.
• Managing Committee of schools/Heads of schools shall not put extra financial burden by creating any new head of fee.
• Private unaided schools shall not stop payment of monthly salary nor reduce the total emoluments to the teaching and non-teaching staff in the name of non-availability of funds and shall arrange the same from the Society / Trust running the school.

Delhi Government has also made it clear that failure to comply with the directions will result in serious consequences, including action under Section 51(b) of the Disaster Management Act, 2005.

These directions have been passed after it was found that some schools were indulging in the malpractices such as not providing the ID and password to access online leering/educational material/classes to those students whose parents who have not paid or not agreed to pay the illegal increased fee of schools. It was also found some private schools were not paying salary to the teaching and non-teaching staffs in the ongoing lockdown or were paying less salary.

Read Order here: Directorate of Education (Govt. of NCT of Delhi) Order on school fees