The private schools across Delhi-NCR have hiked their fees over 70 to 80 per cent, Aparajita Gautam said
Since the reopening of schools for physical classes on April 1, the private schools in Delhi have hiked fees on various occasions, as alleged by parents of prominent schools in the national capital. Delhi Parents Association staged protests in front of various schools since Monday, April 11 demanding the roll back of fees hiked by schools amid the prevalent Covid-19 pandemic situations. Delhi Parents Association President Aparajita Gautam told Careers360 that private schools across Delhi-NCR have hiked their fees over 70 to 80 per cent.
According to Aparajita Gautam, Delhi Education Minister Manish Sisodia in a recent statement claimed that schools in Delhi have not increased fees in the last many years which is untrue. Sisodia earlier said, "Earlier, private schools could arbitrarily increase their fees in Delhi, but we stopped it in 2015. In the last seven years, we have stopped the private schools from increasing the fees and then we introduced a system where if they need to hike the fees, they will have to seek permission from the Delhi government. Their accounts are analysed by the government to figure out whether they actually need to increase the fees."
A parent of a school in Dwarka alleged that the school authority manhandled the parents when they went to discuss the issues of fee hike yesterday. "My son was threatened not to be promoted to Class 10 if I could not pay the admission and development fees, as charged by schools. I have been jobless for two years and now doing private tutions in my locality. How will I pay the hefty fees as charged by the schools?" the parent argued.
Another parent said, "The students who are not willing to pay the hefty fees are debarred from entering classes. Students have also complained of being told that they might face problems in taking exams." Delhi Parent Association President Aparajita Gautam said that the protest will continue in front of schools unless the schools roll back the hiked fees. Meanwhile, Careers360 tried to communicate with schools in Delhi-NCR but it went in vain.