03
Jul
Delhi Government’s Directions in relation to the Collection of School Fees
Posted by admin
The Delhi Government, on July 1, 2021, issued Order PSB/2021/2165-21741(“Directions”) with the aim of preventing profiteering and commercialization by private unaided recognized schools of Delhi. The Directions were issued following the Order dated May 31, 2021 in WPC 7526/2021 (refer our article here) and interim Order dated June 7, 2021 in LPA 184/2021 of the Hon’ble High Court of Delhi (“Orders”) and further to the provisions of section 17(3) and section 18(4) of the Delhi School Education Act, 1973 (“DSE Act”). The Directions issued are applicable to 460 private unaided recognized schools of Delhi, as listed in Enclosure – I of the Directions.
Key Directions for Private Unaided Recognized Schools:
- The schools may collect the annual school fees (permitted heads of fees) from their students, as fixed under the DSE Act for the academic year 2020-21.
- For the academic year 2021-22, the schools must provide a deduction of 15 (fifteen) percent on the annual school fees in lieu of unutilised facilities by the students during the relevant period of the academic year 2021-22. If the school has collected the fee in excess of the direction issued in the Orders, the same shall be refunded to the parents or adjusted in the subsequent month of fee payment.
- The students will be entitled to pay the fees in 6 (six) equal monthly instalments with effect from June 10, 2021.
- Notwithstanding the instructions above, the concerned schools may voluntarily give further concessions to their students or may prescribe a different pattern for giving concessions to the relevant students.
- If any individual request is made by a parent/ward, who is finding it difficult to remit the annual fees for the academic year 2020-21, in the above terms, the school management needs to sympathetically consider such representation on an individual basis.
- The school management shall not withhold the names of students/candidates for the ensuing Board examinations for Classes X and XII on the grounds of non-payment of fee/arrears for the academic year 2020-21, if any, on obtaining undertaking of the concerned parents/students.
- No earmarked levies such as transportation charges etc. shall be charged from the parents during the period the schools remains closed.
- The schools are not to increase any fee in the academic session 2020-21 till further directions are issued whether or not the school is running on the private land, or the land allotted by DDA/Other Govt. Land Owning Agencies.
- The schools shall ensure that they provide online education/material/classes to all students, without any discrimination.
- Lastly, schools shall neither stop payment of monthly salaries nor reduce the existing total emolument to the teaching and non-teaching staff of their schools in the name of non-availability of funds. The school must arrange the funds in case of any shortfalls from the Society/Trust running the school.
The Directions stipulate that non-compliance of the Directions shall be viewed seriously, and action shall be taken against the defaulting schools under the DSE Act and/or other applicable laws.
Endnotes:
[[1]] http://www.edudel.nic.in/upload/upload_2021_22/2165_2174_dt_01072021.pdf