To determine whether recent fee increases are warranted, the Delhi government will audit all 1,677 private schools.
According to Education Minister Ashish Sood, the action attempts to prevent unethical fee increases and the “commercialization of education.”
Delhi Government Will Audit All 1,677 Private Schools
To examine school finances, SDM-led teams comprising accounts officers and tehsildars will be sent out.
Parents can report irrational fee increases via a dedicated email address ([email protected]), which is closely watched by the Deputy Director of Education.
To encourage transparency, the Directorate of Education (DoE) will post school-by-school information on previous fee increases on its website within ten days.
Following a political dispute over growing school fees, in which the AAP accused private schools of taking advantage of parents under the BJP-led government, the announcement was made.
Unjustified fee increases were alleged at a number of schools:
- DPS Dwarka: 20% hike in 2020, followed by annual increases of 13%, 9%, 8%, and 7%.
- Srijan School: 35% hike during AAP rule, followed by another 36% for 2024–25.
- Ahlcon International School: Allowed a 15% hike in 2022–23 despite ₹15 crore irregularities, and a further 13% hike in 2024.
- Lancer’s Convent: Allegedly increased fees by 34% in 2024–25.
- Rukmini Devi Public School: Hiked fees by 11% in 2024–25.
- Salwan Public School: Raised fees by 24% in 2023–24 and 15% in 2024–25 despite being under scrutiny for ₹1.68 crore misappropriation.
When the media reached out to the schools mentioned, they did not respond.
First of a Kind Audits Meant To Shield Families From Being Taken Advantage of Financially
According to Sood, the audits are the first of their kind and are meant to shield families from being taken advantage of financially.
In response, AAP leader Atishi defended the party’s previous regulatory initiatives by urging the BJP to halt fee increases and carry out CAG-led audits.
According to Atishi, even after students graduated, the AAP made sure they received their money back for unwarranted increases.
Sood denied these allegations and charged Atishi with permitting financial misconduct while she was in office.
A 2024 Delhi High Court decision, he claimed, undermined a 2004 Supreme Court decision that required DoE approval for fee increases.
The ruling has been appealed by the BJP-led government, which is attempting to expedite the legal proceedings.
In order to guarantee accountability and compliance, the forthcoming audits will look at 18 financial metrics.
Sood vowed to protect the interests of parents and students and underlined that education shouldn’t be viewed as a business that seeks to make money.
