Parents protest after Delhi school denies CBSE admit cards over pending fees; NHRC, Education Minister intervene

Sood also slammed AAP for “politicising the issue right before the commencement of board exams”.

Senior AAP leader Saurabh Bhardwaj had claimed earlier that his party was proactive in taking action related to fee disputes. Sood, however, dismissed this claim.

The minister also urged the students “to focus entirely on their exams without fear or mental stress”. He reassured that as thousands of students will appear for boards, support and mental stability will be provided during this phase.

The NHRC, acting on a complaint filed on February 13 by a parent, took note of allegations that students of Classes X and XII were denied their admit cards due to non-payment of what the school describes as “raised” or outstanding fees. After contacting the parents and the principal, it recorded that denial of admit cards issued by the CBSE is per se illegal and amounts to violation of the students’ Right to Education under Article 21 of the Constitution. It directed the Directorate of Education (DoE), government of National Capital Territory (NCT) of Delhi, and the CBSE Chairman to issue the admit cards and sought immediate compliance.

While parents at the school told The Indian Express that around 70 families have been affected due to the fee dispute, the protest ensued after the admit cards of three students — two in Class X and one in Class XII were withheld just days before the examination.

Meanwhile, the school, in a statement, as shared by Sood’s office, said that it did not increase fees during the two Covid pandemic years and extended scholarships, and concessions to parents facing financial hardship. It stated that the protests were driven by a small number of parents with substantial outstanding fees.

According to the school, one Class XII student has pending dues of Rs 2,81,699 for the last two years. It claims total outstanding dues from several students amount to Rs 21,29,660. The school has also stated that it is waiving over Rs 6 lakh in dues for one student on humanitarian grounds following the loss of her father during the pandemic.

The school has cited a Delhi High Court order dated February 16, 2024, where parents of seven students were directed to clear full outstanding fees before admit cards were issued. According to the school, those parents complied and admit cards were subsequently released in accordance with the court’s directions.

The school also invited parents facing financial hardship to approach the administration for scholarships or concessions.

Documents issued by the Deputy Director of Education in January showed that fee hike proposals of the school were rejected in multiple years prior to 2022-23, when a 5% increase was accepted. For later academic sessions, either no order was issued or scrutiny was affected by a stay of the HC. The Delhi Education Department said it did not examine fee hike proposals, nor did it receive a fee hike proposal from the school for the current academic session.

Harish Choudhary, father of a Class X student, alleged that the issue is not limited to dues but reflects a pattern of pressure tactics. He claimed that in previous years, report cards were not issued on time when disputes arose and that students were made to sit separately during examinations. He also alleged that during the beginning of new academic sessions, dozens of students whose fees were under dispute were temporarily denied entry for several days before being allowed back after what he described as “pressure.”