Delhi government asks 575 private schools to refund excess fee charged from students

The schools have been given a week to comply with the recommendations made by the committee and have also been directed to ensure that teachers are paid salaries as per rules.

The Delhi government has directed 575 private unaided schools to refund excess fee they charged from students, failing which action would be taken against them. A Directorate of Education official said the action could also include taking over of the institute by the education department.

he Delhi government has directed 575 private unaided schools to refund excess fee they charged from students, failing which action would be taken against them.(HT file photo/for representation only)

The schools have been given a week to comply with the recommendations made by the committee and have also been directed to ensure that teachers are paid salaries as per rules.

The DoE issued the order on May 16 after these schools faltered in refunding excess fees charged from parents on the pretext of implementing the 6th Pay Commission in 2008.

After some parents through Delhi Abhibhavak Mahasangh, an NGO, approached the high court in the matter, the court constituted Justice Anil Dave Singh committee in 2009 to determine the need of fee hike and for examining the records and accounts of unaided private recognised schools with respect to implementation of the 6th Pay Commission’s recommendations.

The committee, had, in its 10 interim reports and monthly reports of June 2016 to January 2018 recommended for refund of the excess fee charged from the parents at 9% interest per annum.

“The committee has identified 575 schools in these reports to refund excess fee charged by the schools…” DOE said in an order dated May 16.

A DoE official, who is handling the matter, said these schools need to inform the department about what actions they have taken. “Some of these schools have approached the court and some have started refunding the fee. Whatever the schools have done, they need to update us,” the official said.

The official said that those schools which don’t refund the excess fee to parents with 9% interest can be taken over by the DoE as per government rules.

The DOE has also asked district and zone deputy education officer (DDEs) to “submit a status report of compliance by the unaided recognized private schools of their jurisdiction within 15 days,” the order said.