Fee hike Bill, curriculum revamp: What's changing in Delhi schools under BJP's first 100 days

Indian Express

30-05-2025

As the BJP government marks its first 100 days in power in Delhi on Saturday, its work in the education sector reveals a blend of reversals of previous policies, new rollouts, and sharp political messaging.
Under Chief Minister Rekha Gupta and Education Minister Ashish Sood, the government has made a series of announcements reflecting a shift from AAP-era reforms to newer strategies aimed at overhauling school infrastructure and curricula.
Here's what's been done on the ground since the party assumed office in February:
Fee hikes, protests by parents and a new Bill
The BJP government's initial days coincided with a wave of discontent across the capital as hundreds of parents from several private schools protested over fee hike concerns. The Indian Express on May 21 detailed how many families were struggling, with one parent stating, 'Our salaries can't keep pace.'
In response, the government introduced the Delhi School Education (Transparency in Fixation of Fees) Bill, 2025, aimed at regulating private school fees through a three-tier grievance redressal mechanism and imposing penalties up to Rs 10 lakh on schools for violations.
Several schools, however, had justified the hikes, saying it was necessary to meet infrastructure demands, pay staff salaries, among other things.
Revamping schemes
–Deshbhakti to Rashtraneeti Curriculum: Introduced by the previous AAP government, the current dispensation has replaced the Deshbhakti Curriculum with the Rashtraneeti Curriculum. Minister Sood described Deshbhakti as 'focused on emotional slogans and symbolism,' whereas Rashtraneeti is designed to 'instill values of democracy, active citizenship, and understanding of India's governance structures.'
The new syllabus includes modules on constitutional values, civic duties, and policy debates, and integrates 'No-Bag Days' for experiential learning. It is being rolled out alongside the Science of Living programme to promote mental health and holistic development.
A school principal told The Indian Express that 'special attention is also being given to mental health and social well-being programmes in schools as well as the Rashtraneeti curriculum.'
–New entrepreneurial push: Under the AAP government's 'Business Blasters' programme, students in Classes 11 and 12 of Delhi government schools were given seed money of Rs 2,000 each; for Higher Education Institutions, it was higher at Rs 50,000.
This was replaced with NEEEV (New Era of Entrepreneurial Ecosystem and Vision), which is set to provide Rs 20,000 to student groups for entrepreneurial projects.
The school principal quoted above, who is also involved in shaping the curriculum, said, '… this will be a better curriculum as it is more focused. Students from Class 8 would be first taught basic ideas and slowly introduced to more hands-on, complex projects by Classes 11 and 12. The money provided is also higher, which may motivate more students.'
–Phasing out DBSE: A major structural change is the rollback of the Delhi Board of School Education (DBSE) created by the AAP government in 2021 for its Schools of Specialised Excellence (SoSEs). The BJP government has begun to transition these schools back to the CBSE.
A report by The Indian Express on April 6 noted that the sudden announcement has led to confusion among educators and students, particularly around how the transition would impact those currently enrolled in DBSE-affiliated SoSEs.
Budget claims and allocations
Sood, in his Budget speech on March 25, contested AAP's education model. 'In 2020-21, Rs 15,383 crore was allocated to education. In 2021-22, Rs 15,904 crore was spent. In 2024-25, it increased to Rs 16,395 crore,' he said.
However, he claimed Delhi spends just 1.5% of its GST revenue on education — less than smaller states like Manipur. He emphasised that the Rs 50,118 crore received by Delhi in GST compensation between 2018 and 2025 played a key role in sustaining prior allocations.
Key budgeted commitments this year include:
-Rs 100 crore for 60 CM Shri Schools with robotics labs, smart classrooms, and AI libraries.
-Rs 100 crore for smart classroom upgrades in 7,000 rooms.
-Rs 886 crore for ITI upgrades and Rs 20 crore to revive Pusa Polytechnic.
'The education proposals in this Budget will be implemented with complete integrity,' Sood asserted.
When asked about changes in the education sector, Sood earlier told The Indian Express that while any previously introduced scheme, if found beneficial, would be retained, the new government would prioritise execution.
Between 2015 and 2024, the AAP government introduced a range of schemes and initiatives in what it pushed forth as the 'Delhi education model'. These included constructing several classrooms, modernising government schools with smart boards and sports facilities, and launching initiatives such as the Happiness Curriculum and Deshbhakti Curriculum to focus on student wellbeing and civic values. Institutions like the Schools of Specialised Excellence and the Delhi Board of School Education were developed to support 'inquiry-based approach' and 'cutting-edge pedagogy'.
However, AAP leaders frequently cited administrative and jurisdictional hurdles — particularly with the Lieutenant Governor's office — as impediments to executing some of their plans. In 2023, the AAP's proposal to send school teachers for training in Finland was initially rejected by the L-G, before later being approved for a cohort through SCERT. In July 2024, the Education Department ordered the mass transfer of over 5,000 government school teachers, which AAP opposed; the then Education Minister Atishi claimed the transfers lacked her consultation.
Although the BJP government's rule has cleared out such concerns.
What needs work
But among the factors that are yet to be worked out are school infrastructure delays. The Indian Express reported on May 16 that two government schools, including one in Kirari, remained unused for several months despite being inaugurated.
In a related case, the Delhi High Court instructed the government to begin admissions and make the Kirari school functional by July 15.
The implementation of the newly announced measures is still pending. Speaking to The Indian Express, child rights lawyer Ashok Agarwal claimed that Deshbhakti classes were still being conducted at a Karawal Nagar school, indicating a curriculum transition lag.
According to officials, NEEEV, Rashtraneeti, and a mental well-being programme are in the works, and a date of implementation is uncertain yet.