This is an archive article published on April 8, 2025
Delhi schools fee hike row: SDM-led panels to audit all 1,677 private schools, data to be made public in 10 days, says minister
Delhi Private schools fee hike: Addressing reporters on Monday, Sood accused the previous AAP government of allowing an unlawful and arbitrary increase in school fees during its tenure
Delhi schools fee hike: Amid a political row over the issue of alleged illegal fee hikes in several private schools in the Capital, Delhi Education Minister Ashish Sood on Monday vowed to make public the data on fee hikes in the next 10 days on the Directorate of Education (DoE) website “to ensure transparency”. To curb the irregular fee hikes, an audit of all private recognised schools is being undertaken by a recently constituted investigation committee headed by respective sub-divisional magistrates, he said.
Addressing reporters on Monday, Sood accused the previous Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) government of allowing an unlawful and arbitrary increase in school fees during its tenure. “In the past 10 years, during the previous government’s tenure, of the 1,677 private schools in Delhi, only 75 schools were audited per year…For the first time in Delhi’s education history, SDM-led committees have been formed to collect audit reports from all 1,677 private schools,” he said. The committees include tehsildars and accounts officials, he added as he underlined that any school found violating the norms will face strict action.
“For the first time, on the instructions of Chief Minister Rekha Gupta, an investigation had been launched against DPS Dwarka, led by the District Magistrate of Kapashera. The year-on-year fee hikes are under scrutiny,” said the Minister. A few parents over the past month had alleged that students of the school were facing harassment as they refused to submit the increased fees.
The fee hike issue across private schools, which led to protests by aggrieved parents in the past, has also triggered a political row.
Earlier during the day, former CM and AAP leader Atishi accused the BJP government of allowing private schools to “loot fees”. She wrote to the CM and urged her to issue orders with immediate effect that no school collects the enhanced fee from any parent until an audit. In a strongly worded letter, Atishi said, “Education is not a commercial activity and profiteering cannot be allowed in private schools.”
Atishi also countered the attack on the previous government. “In the last 10 years, not a single school was allowed to raise even one rupee fee arbitrarily. We appointed Comptroller and Auditor General (CAG)-empanelled auditors to audit the accounts of every school that sought to increase its fee.”
According to the Delhi School Education Act and Rules (DSEAR) 1973, the responsibility to examine audited financial statements, books of accounts, and other records maintained by a school at least once in each fiscal year rests with the DoE. Every recognised school is supposed to be inspected at least once in each financial year. There is also a requirement of prior approval of the Director (Education) in case the fee hike proposal concerns a school with land allotted to the Delhi Development Authority or any other land-owning agency.
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Speaking with The Indian Express, a private school principal affected by the fee hike allegations said, “For nine consecutive years, we did not increase fees as it was turned down every year; it was only when it was required that the school increased it reasonably recently.”
Sophiya Mathew is a Correspondent at The Indian Express, based in New Delhi. She joined the Delhi bureau in 2024, and has specialization in Integrated Multimedia Journalism from the Asian College of Journalism (ACJ), Chennai.
Professional Background
Core Beats: Her reporting is primarily focused on the Environment and Education.
Specialization: She has gained recognition for her ground-level reporting on the Yamuna floodplains and the socio-economic challenges faced by those living on its banks. She also focuses on the disparities in Delhi's education system, ranging from elite private schools to government institutions and refugee education.
Recent Notable Articles (December 2025)
Her recent work has been heavily centered on Delhi's severe winter pollution crisis and the government's regulatory responses:
1. The Air Pollution Crisis
"A tale of two cities: Delhi govt schools choke in bad air, private classrooms set up air filters" (Dec 20, 2025): A high-impact feature contrasting the "Clean Air Bubbles" in elite schools with the reality of government school students who are exposed to an equivalent of 17 cigarettes a day due to outdoor exposure.
"Delhi sees season's worst air day, second worst December AQI in nearly a decade" (Dec 15, 2025): An analytical report on the meteorological patterns trapping pollutants in the NCR.
"Delhi bans non-BS VI vehicles from outside: Why curbing vehicular pollution is key" (Dec 17, 2025): Explaining the science behind targeting specific vehicle vintages to lower particulate matter.
2. Enforcement & Regulations
"No fuel at pumps in Delhi without valid PUC certificate from December 18" (Dec 17, 2025): Breaking the news on the environment ministry's strict "No PUC, No Fuel" policy.
3. Education Policy
"Law to regulate school fee in Delhi risks becoming procedural, say parents" (Dec 13, 2025): Investigating the loopholes in the new Delhi School Education (Transparency in Fixation and Regulation of Fees) Bill, 2025.
"Monsoon Session: Private school fee regulation Bill cleared after four-hour debate" (Aug 9, 2025): Covering the legislative passage of the controversial fee hike regulation.
Signature Style
Sophiya is known for her observational depth. Her reporting often includes vivid details from school corridors, hospital waitlists, or the banks of the Yamuna to illustrate how policy failures affect the city's most vulnerable residents. She is a frequent expert guest on the 3 Things podcast, where she explains the complexities of Delhi’s environmental laws.
X (Twitter): @SophiyaMathew1 ... Read More
