Mayur Vihar school fee hike worries board students’ parents

The parents said they had paid the fees approved by the directorate of education but were being coerced by the school management.

Weeks ahead of the Class 10 and 12 board examinations, parents of students at the Mayur Vihar-baed Salwan Public School have approached the Central Board of Secondary Education, seeking its intervention amid fears that the school may withhold admit cards and complete other examination-related formalities over non-payment of a hiked fee amount, a letter by the delegation of students’ parents stated.

The parents alleged that the school had raised fees by 57% over the past two years without approval. (Representative image)

Parents of nearly five students wrote to the Regional Officer of CBSE’s Delhi East office on Wednesday, citing a show-cause notice issued by the school last week that allegedly warned of striking students’ names off the school rolls and withholding examination-related facilities. In their representation, the parents alleged that the school had raised fees by 57% over the past two years without approval.

“We, the undersigned parents of students studying in classes X and XII, most respectfully submit this urgent representation seeking the immediate intervention of the Central Board of Secondary Education in a matter causing grave academic prejudice and mental distress to students appearing in the forthcoming board examination,” the letter, seen by HT, stated.

Despite multiple attempts from HT, CBSE did not respond to queries over the allegations and possible actions on this.

The fee dispute has emerged as a point of contention between the school management and a section of parents. While parents allege the school increased fees without approval from the Directorate of Education, the school has maintained that operating with a fee structure fixed in 2015–16 is financially unviable.

Although the school has not issued admit cards to any student as of February 4, a parent of a Class XII student, speaking on condition of anonymity, said the move was precautionary.

“A show-cause letter was issued to us despite the fact that we have paid the fees approved by the Directorate of Education. The board examinations are scheduled to begin on February 24, and admit cards are usually issued a week to ten days prior. This leaves us with very little time to approach the authorities,” the parent said.

Responding to the allegations, principal Richa Sharma Katyal said the school had not denied admit cards. “No admit cards have been denied. Admit cards released by CBSE are yet to be downloaded. However, reminders are being issued to parents to clear their dues,” she said.