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India Today
4 days ago
- Politics
- India Today
School fee hike sparks protest by parents in Delhi, demand reforms
Hundreds of parents gathered at Jantar Mantar in New Delhi on July 20 to protest against what they called arbitrary fee hikes and lack of transparency in private under the banner of United Parents' Voice (UPV), the protest comes after months of unacknowledged efforts to engage with authorities on the to UPV, this was not the first time parents had tried to reach out. On June 30, 2025, a group waited for over three hours to meet Delhi Chief Minister Rekha While a small delegation was granted a brief interaction and promised further discussion, no follow-up communication occurred despite formal part of the protest, parents submitted a detailed memorandum addressed to the Lieutenant Governor, Chief Minister, and Education Minister, highlighting several key concerns. These included unauthorised fee hikes, alleged misuse of school funds, and violations of student memorandum also objected to the recently passed Fee Regulation Ordinance 2025, which protestors claimed was implemented without sufficient public DEMANDS RAISED BY PARENTSAmong the major demands listed were:Rollback of unratified fee increasesIndependent audits by the Comptroller and Auditor General (CAG) and forensic expertsGovernment-supervised parent-teacher association (PTA) elections for inclusive governanceAction against schools that shame or penalise students over unpaid fees, in violation of Article 21A of the ConstitutionParents also called for schools to shift to a monthly fee collection system, stating that lump-sum payments put undue financial pressure on advocated for all infrastructure purchases to be routed through the Government e-Marketplace (GeM) to ensure cost-effective and transparent significant demand was for public disclosure of approved fee structures by the Directorate of Education on both government and school CALLS FOR FAIRNESS AND DIALOGUEAccording to Rahul Gupta, a parent and UPV member, the protest reflected the community's frustration after exhausting all formal channels.'We have tried all channels, emails, meetings, even written representations to the highest offices. Today's gathering is a collective call for fairness and dignity in our children's education,' he reaffirmed its commitment to peaceful civic action and urged the government to initiate an open and transparent dialogue with concerned group also mentioned that earlier appeals had been sent via email and speed post to the President, Prime Minister, and Union Home Minister, seeking immediate parents continue to push for greater accountability in private education, they have vowed to persist with peaceful advocacy until meaningful reforms are achieved.(With inputs from PTI)- EndsMust Watch
Indian Express
5 days ago
- Politics
- Indian Express
Parents assembled at Jantar Mantar over private school fee hikes, seek reforms
Hundreds of parents assembled at the Jantar Mantar here on Saturday under the banner of United Parents' Voice (UPV), protesting against alleged arbitrary fee hikes, demanding greater financial transparency and accountability in the private education sector. Parents said their repeated appeals to authorities had gone unanswered, compelling them to take to the streets once again, a statement from UPV (a parent group) said. The protest followed an earlier attempt to engage with the Delhi government on June 30 when a group of parents waited for more than three hours to meet Chief Minister Rekha Gupta. While a small delegation was granted a brief meeting and assured of further dialogue, they said no follow-up communication was received despite formal reminders, it added. Parents submitted a detailed memorandum addressed to the lieutenant governor, chief minister and education minister, reiterating concerns over unapproved fee hikes, alleged misuse of school funds and violations of student rights. They also expressed their opposition to the recently passed Fee Regulation Ordinance, 2025, which they claimed was enacted without adequate public consultation. The memorandum called for a rollback of unratified fee increases, independent audits by the comptroller and auditor general and forensic experts and government-supervised elections for parent-teacher associations to ensure more inclusive school governance, the statement said. It also urged authorities to act against schools that allegedly shame or penalise students over fee issues, a practice parents said violates the right to education under Article 21A of the Constitution. The protesting parents further demanded that schools be mandated to follow a monthly fee collection system, citing the financial strain caused by advance lump-sum payments. They also advocated for infrastructure procurement through the government e-marketplace (GeM) portal to ensure cost-effective and transparent spending. According to the statement, another key demand was the public disclosure of fee structures approved by the Directorate of Education on both government and school websites. Rahul Gupta, a parent and member of UPV said the protest was an outcome of continued silence from the administration. 'We have tried all channels, emails, meetings, even written representations to the highest offices. Today's gathering is a collective call for fairness and dignity in our children's education,' he said. The group said that their concerns had also been communicated earlier through email and speed post to the president, prime minister, and union home minister, seeking urgent intervention. UPV reaffirmed its commitment to peaceful civic action and appealed to the government to initiate an open dialogue with parents.
Indian Express
5 days ago
- Politics
- Indian Express
‘Desperate cry for children's future': Parents demonstrate at Jantar Mantar amid fee hike row
'Parents Are Not ATMs', 'Don't Sell Education, Serve It', and 'Education, Not Exploitation' were among the slogans on placards as hundreds of parents of students from private schools across Delhi gathered at Jantar Mantar on Saturday morning. Alleging arbitrary fee hikes, opaque school finances, and harassment of students over unpaid dues, a memorandum was submitted to top Delhi officials with 10 key demands, said protesters. CAG audits, scrapping of the Delhi government's Fee Regulation Ordinance 2025, and monthly fee collection — instead of advance payment — were included in the key demands raised in the memorandum. Parents alleged that their demands have not been addressed despite holding meetings and writing to the authorities. Saturday's demonstration was held under the banner of United Parents' Voice (UPV). Other key demands highlighted in the memorandum are 'putting an end to harassment and discrimination against children in schools, fair and transparent elections to Parent-Teacher Associations, formal tenders for vendor services and school infrastructure, revocation of CA licences in fraudulent school audits, mandatory online display of fees,' said a protesting parent at the venue. 'This isn't just a protest …it is a desperate cry for our children's dignity, rights and future,' said a protester, adding that the parents were forced to take to the streets after 'trying everything'. The Delhi Cabinet, chaired by Chief Minister Rekha Gupta, approved the Delhi School Education (Transparency in Fixation and Regulation of Fees) Ordinance, 2025, on June 10 amid concerns over arbitrary fee hikes by the private schools. Since then, parents have protested at least twice in June, making Saturday's protest the third such outcry. According to Education Minister Ashish Sood's previous announcements, the Ordinance regulates fee hikes, allowing only one hike every three years, subject to approval by school-level committees. It also empowers oversight bodies with fines up to Rs 10 lakh. There has been a three-tier appeals structure that has been set up via school-level committees, district appellate body and state-level body. It also mandates refunds and penalties within defined timelines if excess fees are charged. However, senior AAP leaders have strongly opposed the move, stating that it is 'anti-parent' and alleging that the parents' voices were ignored as the Bill was drafted 'in secrecy'. Some parents,who have been protesting against the Ordinance, earlier claimed during a protest that no consultations were held to address their concerns in the Ordinance.
Indian Express
21-06-2025
- 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.
