Submit fee-hike proposals for prior sanction: Delhi govt to

Delhi government has asked private schools in the national capital to seek prior sanction from the Directorate of Education (DoE) before increasing student fee and submit detailed proposals in this regard.
Key documents including details of receipts and payment account, income and expenditure account, balance sheet for the years 2013-14, 2014-15 and 2015-16 along with budget estimates for the ensuing year, statement of salary disbursed to staff, and detail of all funds-- reserve, general and gratuity, also need to be submitted by the schools.
The government has taken this step after distressed parents recently approached Deputy Chief Minister Manish Sisodia and complained of fee hike ranging from 20 to 55 per cent.

Sisodia had directed DoE to take necessary action against the "errant" schools that have not only hiked fees but also "compelled" students to buy books from private publishers.
Following this, the Department directed Delhi Public School's Rohini and Mathura branches on Saturday to rollback the fee hike and refund the excess amount collected.
"All heads of private unaided recognised schools, allotted land by the land-owning agencies on the condition of seeking prior sanction of DoE for increase in fee, are directed to submit their proposals, if any, for prior sanction for the academic session 2016-17," DoE Director Saumya Gupta said in a communication to private schools.

The proposals have to be submitted on DoE's website by May 31 following which they will be scrutinised by a team of officials.

"In case the schools have already charged any increased fee prior to issue of this order, the same shall be liable to be adjusted by the schools in terms of the sanction by DoE. In case no proposal is submitted by the school, it shall not increase the fee and any increased fee already charged shall be refunded/ adjusted by it," the letter further said.
Citing a Delhi High Court ruling, the communication said all private unaided recognised schools built on land alloted by DDA/other government agencies at concessional rates or otherwise will not increase tuition fee without prior permission of the Directorate and any enhancement otherwise is contravention of the court's order.

Government had recently issued show-cause notices to two branches of Maxfort School (Pitampura and Rohini) for alleged "financial bunglings", asking why it should not take over their management.