‘Shocking, unacceptable’: Atishi urges CM to act as Delhi school expels 34 students over fee

Expressing shock over alleged expulsion of 34 students from Delhi Public School (DPS) Dwarka over non-payment of fee, former education minister and chief minister Atishi urged CM Rekha Gupta demanding action against the top-tier school and direction to private schools put a hold on the increased fee for the academic year 2025-26.

In a letter to the Delhi CM, Atishi lamented the ‘inhumane’ and ‘unacceptable’ move, imagining the "trauma" the affected students must be going through. “There has been a shocking incident wherein DPS Dwarka has reportedly expelled 34 students for non-payment of increased annual school fees. Such an action by a private school is completely unacceptable,” she said.

Claiming that the young students were stopped at school gate by the additional security and were forced to withdraw admissions from school, Atishi regretted the ordeal. She thinks that the Delhi government should have taken action against the private school as soon as the incident surfaced. However, the parents instead were forced to approach the court to seek justice for their children, she alleged and asked what kind of precedence is being set here.

Taking the opportunity to praise the Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) she is a member of, the minister argued that during the last 10 years of AAP’s reign, the government had never allowed any private school to increase fees “unjustifiably”, leave alone removing students from the list. “In fact, strong action was taken against private schools who had violated rules. This had given a clear message to these private school mafia that such incidents will not be tolerated,” she asserted.

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Hitting out at the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) government which has been ruling since the last three months, Atishi alleged that the private schools have increased fees and charges in an “arbitrary” and “uncontrolled” manner. Despite repeated protests by parents, there has been no roll back of the hiked fee or action against these schools, she added.

On behalf of the students and parents of Delhi, the minister requested the Delhi CM to take exemplary action against DPS Dwarka and give directions to immediately withdraw orders for expulsion of 34 students. She also sought directions for all private schools to put on hold by increased fees in academic year 2025-26, till an audit has been done of all the school accounts.

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“Madam, humbly, being a mother yourself, you would understand the trauma such incidents can cause to these young children. You are the Chief Minister of Delhi; all the students studying in private schools are like your own children. Please take exemplary action against these private schools so that such incidents are not repeated in future,” Atishi further requested CM Rekha Gupta.

Recently, the Delhi cabinet approved Delhi School Education Transparency in Fixation and Regulation of Fees Bill, 2025 to regulate fee hike in private and government schools. The bill proposes a three-tier committee to keep a check on fee hikes in schools.