DPS Dwarka fee hike row: Here’s what panel formed to look into ‘harassment’ of students found

“It seems that the school authorities have apparently neglected its assigned duties…The school authorities seem to be indulging in profiteering, commercialisation, capitation, harassment of students, and exploitation of parents,” the notice read. Directing the school to allow all students to attend regular classes, it also referred to a show cause notice issued last July, despite which irregularities still prevailed.

The DOE has asked the management to explain within seven days why action against it (derecognition) should not be taken.

The inspection was prompted following complaints by several parents who raised concerns about alleged unethical practices at the school. For nearly a month now, protests have been ongoing over the “unauthorised fee hike” and “harassment” of both students and parents on the account of non-payment of the disputed fees.

In response to the allegations, the Deputy Director of Education (DDE), Private School Branch, issued an order on April 3 to set up an inspection committee headed by DM Lakshay Singal, alongside other members, including Education Department officials and government school principals.

The committee was tasked to “visit the school premises, interact with the school authorities, students and teachers, inspect the school accounts to ascertain if any discriminatory tactic is being employed by the school against students in contravention of relevant laws.”

Following the inspection, its key recommendations included:

• Students must be immediately allowed to attend regular classes.
• Fee hike application, if pending with DOE, needs to be finalised at the earliest to resolve the fee hike conflict
• DDE (District and Zone) must keep a check and visit school regularly

Upon inspecting the school premises, the committee’s report dated April 4 underlined that “…the inspection team reached the school at 11 am and straightway visited the library… the students were found sitting in the library. They told they had been sitting in the library since March 20.”

In the written statements provided to the committee by the students, it was alleged that they were barred from attending regular classes and restricted from visiting the canteen as well as interacting with their friends or classmates.

The school authorities, including Principal Priya Narayanan and librarian Archana Yadav, refused to provide any written statements to the committee. Vice Principal Sushma Anthwal said she would submit a detailed report after seeking the school management’s approval.

In a verbal intimation to the committee, Narayanan underlined that no discrimination has happened against any student and that the matter of fee hike is subjudice.

In its inspection report, the committee wrote, “Prima facie, as per allegations of the children, there are some concerns of making the students sit in the library for non-payment of unauthorised fee hike…”

The committee also noted a limitation in its report, citing the absence of a member — Rajesh Kumar, Deputy Controller of Accounts. “The unauthorised fee hike matter was not looked into by the committee,” the panel said.

“It seems that there is a tussle between the parents and school management, which is impacting students. Hence, students should be kept out of this and they should be allowed to focus on their studies,” read the report.

The issue of alleged arbitrary fee hikes at the city’s private schools has turned into a full-blown row among parents and school authorities.

Delhi Education Minister Ashish Sood, earlier this month, vowed to make public the data on fee hikes “to ensure transparency”. Following this, SDM-led committees were constituted and an audit of all private and recognised schools in the Capital is being undertaken.

DPS Dwarka has increased its fees consecutively over five years—from 2020 to 2025—by 20%, 13%, 9%, 8%, and 7%, respectively. Among other private schools, Birla Vidya Niketan in Pushp Vihar has also increased their fees this year by 18%.

Speaking to reporters on Sunday, a few parents whose children have been affected due to the fee hike dispute at DPS Dwarka demanded urgent intervention by Chief Minister Rekha Gupta over the matter. One of them said, “Investigations by the District Magistrate (South-West Delhi), directives from the Directorate of Education (DoE), and assurances from the government have remained confined to paperwork. No effective action has been taken against the DPS management.”