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Indian Express
17 hours ago
- Politics
- Indian Express
Roll back Ordinance on fee hike by private schools in Delhi, hold public consultations, say protesting parents
The Cabinet nod to Delhi School Education (Transparency in Fixation and Regulation of Fees) Ordinance, 2025, without public consultation, was one of the key contentions raised as hundreds of parents gathered at Chhatrasal Stadium in North Delhi on Saturday morning to protest arbitrary fee hikes by private schools in the Capital. Alleging harassment of students by such schools, the parents claimed that they have been subjected to years of unapproved fee hikes. The demonstration, led by the group United Parents' Voice (UPV), was initially planned outside Chief Minister Rekha Gupta's Office at the Delhi Secretariat. However, it was relocated after the Delhi Police denied permission, citing security and traffic concerns. The protest follows the Delhi Cabinet's June 10 decision to approve an Ordinance based on the Delhi School Education (Transparency in Fixation and Regulation of Fees) Bill, 2025. The Bill had earlier received the Cabinet's approval on April 29, soon after parents staged widespread protests against fee hikes. The Bill, however, could not be presented in the Assembly because the Budget session was cut short. While the government officials have stated that the Bill and the Ordinance aim to curb arbitrary fee increases and improve transparency, parents alleged that the legislation was drafted without public consultation and fails to address ongoing issues affecting students and families. After being denied permission on Friday to hold the demonstration at outside the Secretariat by the Delhi Police, which imposed Section 163 of the Bharatiya Nagarik Suraksha Sanhita (BNSS), 2023 across the I.P. Estate area, the group moved the protest to Chhatrasal Stadium at 8 am Saturday, where the CM was attending the International Yoga Day celebrations. 'The government is scared of the parents' voice. The system has acknowledged our strength. Now let's show up in even bigger numbers,' said Mahesh Mishra, one of the protesters whose child studies at Delhi Public School, Dwarka. The group's key demands included an immediate pause in the implementation of the Ordinance, a 30-day public consultation period, an end to the alleged harassment of children by private schools, strict action against rule-violating institutions, rollback of unjustified hikes since 2019, and the establishment of a robust, transparent grievance redressal system for parents. 'We urge an immediate halt to the proposed Ordinance and the Bill. These should first be subjected to transparent public consultation as per constitutional and fundamental rights, as parents and citizens are the primary stakeholders in any education-related policy decision,' Mishra added. While carrying placards and raising slogans, the demonstrators demanded action against private schools for alleged coercive practices. UPV claimed that children had been removed from rolls by private schools, denied access to classes, and in some cases, physically blocked at school gates by bouncers over fee-related issues. The group described such incidents as mental harassment and demanded accountability from schools engaging in such practices. Another long-standing concern that echoed at the protest was the issue of unapproved fee hikes going back to 2019. The parents' group said that despite repeated appeals, the government has failed to roll back what they described as arbitrary and unjustified increases. They also highlighted the absence of a functional and time-bound grievance redressal mechanism. DPS Dwarka, Maharaja Agrasen Model School, Pitampura, and Apeejay School, Sheikh Sarai, are some of the schools that have been embroiled in disputes amid the fee hike row.
Hans India
05-06-2025
- Health
- Hans India
Parents' delegation meets LoP Atish
New Delhi: A delegation of parents representing students from over 70 private schools in Delhi met Leader of Opposition Atishi on Wednesday to express concerns over the proposed Delhi Fee Regulation Bill, 2025. The group, part of the United Parents Voice (UPV) an umbrella body, highlighted several challenges faced by students and parents, including alleged instances of mental distress caused by fee-related matters, lack of consultation in policy-making, and the need for transparency in school fee structures, according to a statement. Some students have faced difficulties such as being removed from school rolls, denied access to classes or excluded from school communication channels due to unresolved fee issues. In certain cases, they claimed academic results were withheld, leading to emotional stress among children. The delegation also said that the drafting of the Delhi Fee Regulation Bill did not include inputs from parent associations, despite parents being key stakeholders in the education process, it stated. Speaking after the meeting, Atishi assured the delegation of her support. 'We will raise this issue through all available platforms, including the Assembly and the media,' she said, emphasising the need for a transparent and participatory approach to education reforms. Atishi said that the Aam Aadmi Party has long supported people-centric causes and would continue to stand with parents and students. The delegation submitted a list of key demands, which include a temporary suspension of the proposed Bill and ordinance, a minimum 30-day public consultation period, rollback of unapproved fee hikes since 2019, and strict enforcement of existing guidelines issued by the Directorate of Education. Earlier in the day, Delhi Education Minister Ashish Sood in a press conference presenting the report of 100 days of work said, 'The newly introduced Delhi School Education Transparency Bill has curbed arbitrary practices in private schools. Parents can no longer be forced to buy uniforms or books from specific shops.' 'For 27 years, private schools went unchecked, but our government has taken strict steps to ensure transparency,' Sood said.
