Parents approach CBSE, principal denies admit cards withheld, ETEducation
New Delhi: A group of parents on Wednesday approached CBSE, seeking urgent intervention over the possibility that roll numbers, admit cards and other exam-related formalities of their wards studying in Class X and XII at Salwan Public School may be withheld because of non-payment of fees following an “arbitrary, exorbitant and unapproved 57% hike”.
However, the Mayur Vihar Phase-III school denied withholding the admit cards, and said reminders are being sent to these parents to clear their dues.
In their representation, the parents said the situation was allegedly causing “grave academic prejudice and severe mental distress” to the children preparing for the upcoming board exams.
A parent said, “The school hiked the fees by 57% over just two academic years. This was neither approved by Delhi govt’s department of education nor is it in compliance with applicable fee-regulation norms and directions issued by courts and the directorate of education.”
Claiming that the hike is mired in serious dispute and legal challenges, the parents said the department already issued three orders and a show-cause notice to the school over alleged coercive measures against students for recovery of the dues. Yet, the school management continues to pressure the parents through show-cause notices, threatening to strike the names of their kids off the rolls, the parents said.
However, the school rubbished the allegations. “The students haven’t been denied admit cards. It’s just that we are yet to download the cards,” said principal Richa Sharma Katyal.
“There has been no arbitrary or exorbitant fee hike. Certain parents insist on paying fees according to the 2015-16 structure. It is untenable for the school to function in 2025-26 on a fee structure fixed a decade earlier,” the principal said. “Between 2015-16 and 2023-24, the school didn’t revise its fees despite rising operational costs. During this period, all audited financial statements were duly submitted annually to the directorate of education,” she added.
“Over 90% of the parents acknowledged the school’s financial situation and complied with the revised fee structure. A very small minority, though, continues to insist on paying fees at the 2015-16 rates, despite judicial clarity, repeated communication and full financial disclosure on our part,” Katyal said.
However, the parents called the school’s actions “illegal, coercive and unethical,” and said they amount to a clear violation of CBSE affiliation bylaws, which prohibit schools from debarring students or denying them Board-related rights over fee disputes. “Students can’t be penalised for a financial dispute between parents and the school management,” they said.
In a Jan 28 order, the directorate stated, “an advisory was issued to the school… it was directed not to withhold the result of any student, not to deny them marksheets, not to discriminate and not to strike off the names of such students whose parents didn’t pay arrears of the hiked fees, which are not approved by govt”.
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