Strict action on arbitrary fee hike by schools soon

New Delhi: The Delhi government has notified setting up of “fee anomaly committees” in each district to look into arbitrary fee hikes by private schools in the national capital. The city government has also ordered disposal of the complaints within 90 days.

The government has also decided to act tough against private schools hiking their fees, citing implementation of the Seventh Pay Commission and called a meeting of all the MLAs and education department officials.

The decision was taken after chief minister Arvind Kejriwal and his deputy Manish Sisodia met at the Delhi Secretariat on Wednesday, following complaints from parents that schools have increased their fees and are asking for arrears.

“Any parent/guardian of a student of any recognised unaided school individually or jointly aggrieved by the amount of fees or any other charge being levied by the school may register a complaint with these committees,” said a statement by Delhi government.

“The complaint can be registered with the committee (one in every district) of the respective districts in the prescribed proforma along with a processing fee of `100,” it added.

In October, the Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) government had allowed recognised unaided private schools on Delhi Development Authority (DDA) land to increase their fees by 15 per cent as an “interim” measure to comply with the seventh CPC recommendations.

However, on Wednesday it said that many parents have been coming with complaints regarding illegitimate fee hikes and it has now directed these schools to make available to the committee any record of the school and submit its accounts in the proforma as prescribed for the purpose which the committee may demand.

The government has also called a meeting of all the MLAs and education department officials on Thursday. The MLAs have been asked to get data regarding complaints against private schools in their area which have increased the fees.