School fee hike row: DPS Dwarka in Delhi expels 29 students, angry parents protest outside premises

Several students were denied entry into the premises of Delhi Public School (DPS) Dwarka on Tuesday morning over non-payment of fees as angry parents protested outside the gates.

According to an Indian Express report, these students were among 29 expelled by the school, which cited legal provisions, with “immediate effect” on May 9. However, parents have accused the school of “mishandling children” and flouting a Delhi High Court order issued last month.

They also claimed bouncers were stationed at the gate. Parents also alleged that several students were sent back home in school buses without prior intimation, the report said.

Describing it as traumatic, one of the parents of a Class 11 student told the Indian Express, “We were shocked when the school forcefully boarded our children into buses and sent them back home without any communication. We didn't know their whereabouts for a while. There was no sensitivity shown at all.”

Fee hike issue in DPS Dwarka

Students at DPS Dwarka have been facing the fee hike issue for several years now. According to the report, in April, an eight-member inspection committee led by District Magistrate (Southwest) had flagged discriminatory practices against students at the school.

The students were barred from attending regular classes, were confined to a library, had restricted access to the canteen, were isolated from peers, and were closely monitored by guards during restroom visits, the report said.

The Indian Express report, citing emails sent to affected families on May 9, said that the school said that the students' names were being struck off the rolls due to “non-payment of school fee" despite “various reminders through monthly SMS, emails, telephonic calls, and final reminder/show cause notice.”

The report also said that the school justified the expulsions by citing Rule 35 of the Delhi Education Act and Rules (DSEAR), 1973. This rule states that schools can expel students on the grounds of non-payment of fees and other dues for 20 days after the last day for payment, or continued absence without leave for six consecutive days. It is also compulsory to issue a showcause notice to the guardian or parent before such an action.

The school’s email also said, “You are advised not to send your ward to the school. He/she shall not be permitted to enter the school premises. The RFID card of your ward has also been disabled and, if you send your ward to school despite his/her name being struck off from the school rolls, it shall be at your risk and consequence.”

The parents were asked to collect the transfer certificate of their wards from the administration department on May 13, between 2.30 pm to 3 pm, Indian Express said.

School shifts blame on parents?

While the school principal did not respond to the Indian Express's request for comments, a source in the school said that a show cause notice had been issued to parents last December.

"A total of more than ₹1 lakh is outstanding from 130 students, and there has already been a loss of ₹6 crore because certain students have completed Class 12. How can we recover the money in such cases?” the IE report quoted the source as saying.

In fact, the source blamed the parents for misinterpreting the High Court order. “The order is about how students are to be treated once inside the school — it doesn’t stop us from expelling defaulters. Once a child is struck off the rolls, denying entry is not a violation,” the source added.

“The children are suffering because of their parents and the politics around it. We will not tolerate demonstrations outside the school gate.”

What the Delhi High Court order said

On April 16, the Delhi HC had slammed the school for their conduct, terming it “shocking” and “inhuman”. The bench had said that the school was treating students in a “shabby and inhuman” way and suggested that the government criminally prosecute the principal for torture.

Justice Sachin Datta said the school, which was treating students like "chattel", deserved to be shut down, an ANI report said.

The high court had also stressed on placing some safeguards to ensure that students at DPS Dwarka were not "tortured" by the authority, which was running the institution merely as a "money making machine".

(With inputs from agencies)