Parents protest in Delhi over fee hikes, demand transparency in private schools

Parents from across Delhi gathered in large numbers at Jantar Mantar to protest against indiscriminate fee hikes and a lack of transparency in private schools.

The demonstration, organized by United Parents' Voice (UPV), comes after repeated but unsuccessful efforts to seek attention from authorities on the issue.

UPV said that the protest followed several failed attempts to engage with government officials. On June 30, 2025, a group waited for more than three hours to meet Chief Minister Rekha Gupta.

While a small delegation was briefly received and promised a further discussion, no follow-up communication was made despite formal reminders sent afterward.

During the demonstration, a memorandum was submitted to the Lieutenant Governor, Chief Minister, and Education Minister.

The document raised serious concerns, including unauthorized fee increases, alleged misuse of school funds, and violations of student rights.

Parents specifically criticized the recently passed Fee Regulation Ordinance 2025, alleging insufficient public consultation led to its implementation.

Demands included the rollback of unapproved fee hikes, independent audits by the Comptroller and Auditor General and forensic experts, and government-supervised parent-teacher association (PTA) elections.

Parents also called for action against schools that penalize students for unpaid fees, arguing that such practices contravene Article 21A of the Constitution, which guarantees the right to education.

They urged a shift to monthly fee payments instead of bulk payments, citing financial burden on families.

Other suggestions included routing all infrastructural purchases through the Government e-Marketplace (GeM) for transparency and cost control, along with public disclosure of approved fee structures on official government and school websites.

Rahul Gupta, a parent and member of UPV, emphasized the frustration driving the protest. "We have tried all channels, emails, meetings, even written representations to the highest offices. Today’s gathering is a collective call for fairness and dignity in our children’s education," he said.

UPV reiterated its intention to continue peaceful civic engagement and appealed to the administration to begin an open and honest dialogue with the parent community.

The organization had also sent appeals to the president, prime minister, and union home minister through email and post, urging immediate action.

Parents affirmed they would persist in their advocacy until there is genuine reform and transparency in the functioning of private schools.