“It was traumatic. Whenever I went to the school, my daughter kept calling me to ask if the admit card was issued. As parents, we felt guilty… to not be able to console our children. It took so much courage to tell my daughter not to worry. But it was the first major exam of her life. Even I fail to imagine how much stress was triggered because of the school’s greed for money,” said Punit Davey, parent of a Class 10 student in Apeejay School, Panchsheel Park.
In the run-up to the Central Board of Secondary Education (CBSE) exams for Class 10 and Class 12, which began Saturday, anxiety among students was not just limited to the preparation. Students from several private schools in Delhi kept waiting for their admit cards till the eleventh hour amid an ongoing fee hike dispute until the authorities intervened.
Even as the matter is sub judice, Delhi Public School, Dwarka, was among the schools that had refused to issue admit cards to students whose parents had disputed last year’s fee hikes.
As panic prevailed among parents and students, the Education Department and the Child Welfare Committee (CWC) stepped in to resolve the issue. While DPS Dwarka released the admit cards on February 10, two schools in South Delhi — Apeejay School, Saket, and Apeejay School, Panchsheel Park — distributed the admit cards on Friday evening, just hours ahead of the first exam.
On Tuesday, the Education Department had passed an order against The Srijan School in Model Town over withholding of the admit cards.
On Thursday, the CWC issued an order directing the principal of Apeejay School, Saket, to “issue admit cards with immediate effect and settle fee issues afterwards.” It also asked for a report from the school, seeking an explanation. “The matter is also sub judice in (the) honourable High Court but the same requires immediate action-intervention to protect and save children or students’ whole academic year and safeguard for their mental traumatic situation…,” the order read. It also directed the Education Department to look into the matter and facilitate parents and children on a priority basis.
Parents of students in Apeejay School, Saket, claimed that the admit cards were withheld until an undertaking of outstanding arrears was signed. The Deputy Director of Education, South, reached the school to ensure the admit cards were released on Friday, they said. Later in the evening, the school principal communicated to parents, “You are requested to collect the admit card of your ward…You have been approached time and again for the same via call from the school.”
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At Apeejay School, Panchsheel Park, Davey claimed that even as the Education Department issued the order in this regard on Thursday morning, there was a day-long delay in compliance.
‘Justice For All’, a city-based lawyers group, also wrote to the Prime Minister’s Office on Friday, highlighting concerns raised by several parents on the non-issuance of admit cards.
The dispute over fee hikes has been going on in the Capital for several years with parents alleging that private schools are increasing the fee without approval from the Education Department, and harassing students whose parents dispute the surge.
“The education machinery has completely broken down. Private schools in Delhi have gone out of control… If the parents are running from pillar to post, then what is the point of the DOE (Directorate of Education)? It is the DOE’s responsibility to ensure that our children’s future is not sacrificed,” said Divya Mattey, a parent of a Class 10 student in DPS Dwarka.
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The DoE had passed an order in May 2024, rejecting the school’s fee hike proposal. If the increased fees had been charged, it had to be refunded, the order stated. However, parents allege that the order has not been implemented.
“We were not getting clearance from the accounts department… only if the ‘no dues’ document is signed, was the school ready to release the admit cards… But we don’t have any pending dues. Instead, the school is supposed to refund us. We have been suffering a lot. How long can these things keep on happening?” Mattey added.
The school authorities, however, claim that the hikes are legal and necessary to meet the rising costs of running the institutions. “The matter is currently sub judice… While withholding admit cards is generally not considered a best practice, the school’s perspective may differ given the disputed fees span an entire year, rather than just a few months,” said DPS Chairperson BK Chaturvedi.
In Delhi, 331,957 students of Class 10 and 314,612 students of Class 12 are set to appear for the board exams to be held across 991 test centres.