Private Schools in Ghaziabad Face Stricter Regulations

Synopsis

Ghaziabad education department acts on complaints about private schools
Schools cannot change dress codes for five consecutive academic years
Schools must seek prior approval for changes
Schools cannot force parents to buy from specific vendors
Inspection of 160 schools planned

The Ghaziabad education department has taken steps to regulate private schools in response to complaints from students’ parents about rising costs for uniforms and stationery. The directive, issued on April 12, aims to prevent unapproved charges and ensure compliance with regulations.

Restrictions on Uniforms and Stationery

The directive bars schools from changing uniforms for five consecutive academic years without prior approval from the district fee regulatory committee (DFRC). Schools must now seek justification for any proposed changes and obtain prior approval from the committee. This restriction aims to prevent schools from inflating costs by mandating purchases through chosen suppliers.

Parents have complained about overpriced supplies and sudden changes in uniforms
Schools must publish fee structure on their website at least 60 days in advance

The directive also prohibits schools from forcing parents to purchase items from specific vendors, which is seen as a means of inflating costs.

Inspection of 160 Schools

The department will inspect 160 private schools across the city to examine fee structures and ensure compliance with regulations. “So far, only 10-12 schools have informed the department regarding their fee hike,” said district inspector of schools Dharmandra Singh.

Fee Hike Rules

The Uttar Pradesh Self-Financed Independent School (Fee Regulation) Act, 2018, sets rules for fee increases based on teacher salary and consumer price index. According to Section 4 (1) of the Act, schools can raise fees based on the average salary increase of teaching staff from the previous year. However, the hike must not exceed 5% of the fee amount charged in the previous session.

Previous Enforcement

In 2019, the Noida DFRC fined 66 schools Rs 1 lakh each for failing to inform the committee about fee hikes in advance. The committee warned schools against forcing parents to purchase items from fixed vendors.

Parent Complaints

Parents have raised concerns about unfair pricing and sudden changes in uniforms. “The notebooks are being sold at Rs 100 each, which we get at a cost of Rs 40-50 from outside stores. Moreover, the school management also changes uniform colours every year. This forces parents to buy new ones, even though the old ones are still in good condition,” said a parent of a student of a private school in Vasundhara.

Key Highlights

Schools cannot change dress codes for five consecutive academic years
Schools must seek prior approval for changes
Schools cannot force parents to buy from specific vendors
Inspection of 160 schools planned
Fee hike rules based on teacher salary and consumer price index

The directive aims to check unapproved charges and ensure compliance with regulations. The inspection of 160 schools is expected to be completed by next week, and the department will review the fee structures of all schools to ensure they comply with the regulations.