As many as 438 private schools in Delhi are yet to refund the excess fees charged by them, the Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) government told the Delhi High Court on Monday.
The submission was made by the Delhi government’s Directorate of Education (DoE) in an affidavit filed in response to the court’s query on why its directions, as well as the recommendations of an expert panel, to refund the excess fees charged by the private schools have not been implemented.
Panel set up by HC
Justice Anil Dev Committee, set up by the HC to review the fees of private schools, had said that 531 institutions had charged excess fees and recommended that it should be refunded with 9% interest.
The DoE said that 53, out of the 531 schools, have completely refunded the amounts charged by them on the pretext of implementing the Sixth Pay Commission. It also said that 40 schools have partially refunded the amounts.
Of the remaining 438 defaulting schools, several have sent representations to the DoE seeking review of the expert panel’s recommendations, the department said.
It has also said after the court’s May 23 order asking what steps have been taken, the Deputy Directors of Education have been asked to carry out special inspection of defaulting schools under their jurisdiction and examine their financial records and accounts.
The DoE has said its Regional Directors have been asked to issue necessary orders to all defaulting private unaided schools in their jurisdiction to ensure compliance of the recommendations of the committee and the court directions.
‘₹350 crore of excess fee’
The court had set up the panel and also issued directions for refund of excess fees in 2011 on a plea by an NGO, Abhibhavak Mahasangh.
Thereafter, the NGO had moved the court claiming that over 500 private schools were yet to refund ₹350 crore of excess fee taken from students on the pretext of implementing the Sixth Pay Commission and sought initiation of contempt proceedings against all such institutions.
