Daijiworld Media Network – New Delhi
New Delhi, Apr 15: Delhi Chief Minister Rekha Gupta on Tuesday assured stern action against private schools accused of arbitrarily increasing fees, following a wave of complaints from concerned parents.
“Several parents have met me with grievances. No school has the right to harass children or hike fees abnormally. There are rules in place, and if any school is found violating them, they will face consequences,” Gupta said, adding that notices were being issued to the schools concerned.
The outrage intensified after parents of students at a private school in Dwarka alleged that their children were confined to the library for 25 days in protest against the fee hike — a move they described as a “library arrest”.
Education Minister Ashish Sood said an inspection team had visited the school and that SDMs across Delhi have been tasked with reviewing schools using an 18-point compliance questionnaire. A dedicated email ID has also been launched for parents to report unjustified fee hikes.
Meanwhile, AAP national convenor Arvind Kejriwal accused the BJP of allowing “education mafia” to flourish. “How dare they mistreat our children? The system is back in the hands of the mafias, just like before we came to power,” he posted on X.
Senior AAP leader Manish Sisodia demanded a CBI probe, alleging that private schools were looting parents without justification. “There’s been no increase in teacher salaries or expenses. Why are the fees going up?” he asked.
The Delhi government has vowed to tighten its grip on erring institutions and protect students from exploitative practices.