New Delhi, April 15, 2025 – Delhi Chief Minister Rekha Gupta vowed “zero tolerance” Monday, slamming private schools for unauthorized fee hikes after parents flooded social media with complaints of 15-20% jumps for the 2025-26 session. Gupta, a month into her BJP-led term, ordered the Directorate of Education (DoE) to probe 12 elite schools—six in south Delhi—threatening strict action if violations of the Delhi School Education Act are found (NDTV).
“Kids’ education isn’t a cash cow,” Gupta raged at a Dwarka presser, citing schools charging Rs 50,000-80,000 quarterly without DoE nods (The Indian Express). Parents, reeling from hikes at DPS RK Puram and Modern School, vented on X—“Daylight robbery!” (post:3). The DoE demands prior approval for increases above 10%; 2024 saw 30 schools fined Rs 5-10 lakh for flouting rules (The Hindu). Gupta’s team flagged three schools for bypassing audits, with notices issued Monday (Times of India).
The timing’s rough—Delhi’s 18 lakh private school students face squeezed wallets amid Trump’s tariff-driven price spikes (The Economic Times). “Fees up, books costlier—how do we cope?” a Rohini parent told India Today. Gupta, who froze fees in March, promised refunds if hikes are undone—her Rs 1 lakh crore budget ups school grants by 12% (Business Standard). But schools cry foul: “Infra, salaries need funds,” a Saket principal said (The Indian Express). X splits—“Gupta’s our hero!” vs. “Schools need breathing room” (post:1).
For India’s education hub, it’s a showdown—parents want relief, schools want margins. Will Gupta’s whip tame fees, or spark a bigger row?
