Parents protest fee hike at private school in Dwarka, allege students confined to library

NEW DLEHI: A group of parents of children studying at a private school in Dwarka held a protest outside its premises on Tuesday, opposing a recent fee hike implemented by the institution. The protesters alleged that their children had been subjected to what they described as a "library arrest" for the past 25 days. One parent claimed that since March 20, the school management has been confining students inside the library during school hours.

There was no immediate response available from the school authority over the fee hike and library arrest allegations. "The children are being denied their right to education. The school is ignoring instructions from both the administration and the police," said one of the protesting parents. Mentioning that an investigation was conducted by the district magistrate (DM) last Friday, the protesting parents said they will continue their agitation until a satisfactory resolution is reached.

Also read WB govt plans bill to curb excessive fee hikes in private schools

Protest may spread nationwide

They also added that if the issue remains unresolved, the movement could spread beyond Delhi to other parts of the country. Delhi Education Minister Ashish Sood addressed the matter on Monday and said that an inspection team recently visited the school in Dwarka after multiple complaints about frequent fee hikes.

He added that sub-divisional magistrates (SDMs) across the city have been instructed to inspect schools and collect responses to an 18-point questionnaire designed to assess compliance. Sood also informed that a committee has been set up comprising the deputy director of education and the director of accounts. Additionally, the Education Department has launched a dedicated email ID for parents to submit complaints about unjustified fee increases.