Latest news with #DDA-allotted
Time of India
07-08-2025
- Business
- Time of India
Regulatory Lapses Allow Schools To Impose Fee Hikes Unchecked
New Delhi: Even as fee hikes by private unaided schools operating on govt or DDA-allotted land recorded significant increases, Delhi govt's regulatory system showed little active enforcement of rules about the matter. An analysis of govt records over the past eight years reveals glaring lapses in oversight and enforcement of rules meant to regulate such increases. The data from academic sessions 2016-17 to 2023-24 in particular highlights the weakening enforcement of rules that require these schools to obtain prior approval before increasing fees. While there was a rise in the number of schools submitting fee hike proposals, there was a sharp decline in the proportion of these proposals being rejected by the state govt, especially from the academic year 2019-20 onwards. In the initial years — between 2016 and 2019 — a considerable number of proposals were turned down, with rejection rates ranging between 69% and 75%. This suggested an active oversight mechanism. Post-2019, however, that oversight appears to have deteriorated. The rejection percentage dipped from 75.3% in the 2018-19 academic session to 59.4% in 2019-20. It further slipped in the following years to 36.1% in 2022-23 and 32.1% in 2023-24. by Taboola by Taboola Sponsored Links Sponsored Links Promoted Links Promoted Links You May Like Car Insurance Rates Are Dropping - Find Out If You're Overpaying AutoSaveMax Get Quote Undo Out of 262 schools that applied for fee hikes in 2023-24, decisions were made only in 28 cases, most of them approving the increases. The rest remained undecided, effectively allowing schools to go ahead with their proposed hikes in the absence of regulatory intervention and essentially defeating the purpose of requiring a prior approval. You Can Also Check: Delhi AQI | Weather in Delhi | Bank Holidays in Delhi | Public Holidays in Delhi In the academic years 2020–21 and 2021–22, fee hikes were prohibited entirely by a govt order due to the Covid pandemic. Queries sent to AAP regarding the alleged lapses went unanswered. The current state dispensation has blamed the previous AAP administration for what it describes as a "systemic failure" in fee regulation. "In 2024–25, AAP couldn't decide on proposals from 244 schools because its functionaries were busy with elections and extortion. Let's go back to 2023–24. That year, 262 schools submitted their proposals online. AAP govt approved only 19, rejected 9, with the decisions taken on just these 28 proposals. That means 234 schools out of 262 were left waiting without a decision," education minister Ashish Sood claimed. Citing a steady fall in rejection rates after 2019, an education official said, "Out of nearly 350 schools that operate on govt or DDA land, very few even submitted fee hike proposals over the past several years. The ones that did faced less and less scrutiny." The official added that many more schools — over 1,400 operating on private land or govt land without the 'land clause' —were left entirely unregulated, with no mechanism in place to track or audit their fee hikes for nearly a decade. Another key lapse, according to the current administration, was the failure to act on a proposal made by the previous govt in Nov 2023 to link fee hikes to the consumer price index. According to an official, the idea was to make the process more transparent and objective. But despite the proposal being floated, no decision was taken on it until Feb this year, by which time a new govt had assumed office. The most recent academic cycle saw a legal bottleneck. For 2024-25, the Directorate of Education issued a circular in March inviting fresh fee hike proposals, but this was stayed by Delhi High Court. The circular stated that no recognised private unaided school in the capital, which has been allotted land by govt agencies, would enhance the fees for the 2024-25 session without the prior sanction of DoE. As a result, the regulatory process continues to be in limbo. Stay updated with the latest local news from your city on Times of India (TOI). Check upcoming bank holidays , public holidays , and current gold rates and s ilver prices in your area.
Hans India
15-07-2025
- Politics
- Hans India
EWS admissions to start online for Class 2 onwards in Delhi private schools
New Delhi: The Delhi government will initiate online admission process for students under the Economically Weaker Section (EWS) and Freeship category from Class 2 onwards against vacant seats in private unaided recognised schools running on government or DDA-allotted land (excluding minority institutions) for the current academic session. According to a circular from the Directorate of Education (DoE), private unaided recognised schools are mandated to admit children from weaker sections and disadvantaged groups at the entry level, ensuring free and compulsory education up to Class 8. The Education Department said the vacant EWS seats in higher classes need to be filled. A computerised online application system, already being used for entry-level admissions under EWS/(Disadvantaged Group (DG) quota, will now be extended for filling seats from Class 2 onwards. The department had earlier conducted online admissions under this model during the academic years 2022-23, 2023-24 and 2024-25, it stated. To proceed, all district deputy directors (DDEs) have been directed to collect updated data on current and expected vacancies in these schools. The data is to be verified with support from DDE Zone officials and Directorate of Education nominees, it read. The circular added that data must be submitted within seven days to facilitate the launch of the admission process for the 2025-26 session.
The Hindu
14-07-2025
- Politics
- The Hindu
DoE to start admissions for EWS students for Class 2 and above against vacant seats
The Directorate of Education (DOE) recently announced that it will initiate online admissions to fill vacant seats with students from the Economically Weaker Section (EWS) and the Freeship category for classes 2 and above in private and unaided recognised schools running on DDA-allotted land. The Directorate of Education (DoE) has directed all District Deputy Directors (DDEs) to collect and update data on the current and expected vacancies across schools. The data will be verified with support from DDE Zone officials and Directorate of Education nominees. The DoE in a circular dated July 10, stated that as per the Right of Children to Free and Compulsory Education (RTE) Act, 2009, schools are under an obligation to admit children from weaker sections against 25% of the total seats in elementary classes. The DoE added that vacancies in higher classes need to be filled, and the Delhi High Court had allowed it to develop a mechanism to fill these vacant seats of the EWS category from Class 2 and above, as well. It stated that it had done so for the past three academic sessions.
United News of India
30-05-2025
- Politics
- United News of India
SC issues notice on private schools on govt land hiking fees
New Delhi, May 30 (UNI) The Supreme Court has issued a notice to the Director of Education (DoE), Government of Delhi, on a plea challenging the Delhi High Court's orders that permitted private unaided schools situated on government-allotted land to hike fees without prior approval from the education department. The bench, comprising Chief Justice of India (CJI) B.R. Gavai and Justice A.G. Masih, was hearing a special leave petition filed by Naya Samaj Parents Association, contesting two rulings of the Delhi High Court that upheld the autonomy of private schools in revising fee structures. According to the petition, 'private unaided schools in Delhi have increased their fees multifold, in some cases by up to 100% and are initiating penal actions against students for non-payment, thereby creating confusion and panic among parents.' The controversy stems from an interim order passed in April 2024 by a Single Judge of the Delhi High Court in a writ petition filed by the Action Committee Unaided Recognised Private Schools. In this order, the court observed that, as per prevailing law, unaided recognised private schools are not required to seek prior permission from the DoE before raising their fees, regardless of land allotment clauses. The order also stayed a circular issued by the DoE regulating fee proposals from unaided private schools. The petition before the Supreme Court specifically challenges paragraph 29 of this order. Subsequently, in its final order dated April 8, 2025, the High Court's division bench dismissed a Letters Patent Appeal filed against the interim order, on the procedural ground that the petitioner was not a party in the original writ proceedings. The petitioner, however, argues that this decision conflicts with previous rulings of both the Delhi High Court and the Supreme Court. It cites the Justice For All vs Govt. of NCT of Delhi case, where the Delhi High Court held that the DoE has the authority under Section 17(3) of the Delhi School Education Act, 1973 to regulate fee hikes and prevent profiteering by unaided schools. The petitioner also relies on the Supreme Court's judgment in the landmark Modern School vs Union of India case, which emphasised that private schools on DDA-allotted land must seek prior approval from the DoE before increasing tuition fees. In that case, the Apex Court directed the Director of Education to verify whether schools were complying with the terms of their land allotment and take action in case of violations. A specific clause in the DDA's allotment letters, referred to by the Supreme Court, reads, 'The school shall not increase the rates of tuition fee without the prior sanction of the Directorate of Education, Delhi Administration and shall follow the provisions of the Delhi School Education Act/Rules, 1973 and other instructions issued from time to time.' In its ruling in Modern School, the Court had directed, 'The Director of Education shall examine the terms of allotment issued to schools and ensure compliance within three months. In case of non-compliance, appropriate steps shall be taken.' The Supreme Court has now taken cognisance of the petitioner's concerns and issued a notice to the Delhi DoE for its response. The matter is expected to be heard in June. UNI SNG SSP
