The National Independent Schools Alliance (NISA), a federation of around 55,400 budget schools from 20 state associations, has sent a legal notice to Delhi education minister Manish Sisodia demanding a compensation of Rs 5 crore over his announcement that children can be admitted to government schools without transfer certificates owing to the tussle between parents and private schools over the payment of fees.

Last week, the education minister had stated that parents who were struggling to pay their ward’s school fees will be able to admit their wards to the government schools even if the private schools are withholding their transfer certificates over non-payment of fees. The directorate of education will be getting the transfer certificate from the private schools that the children will be leaving.

“This”, the notice stated, “are hurting the rights of the member schools to recover the outstanding fee/funds from the students from March 2020 onwards in terms of the Honourable Supreme Court of India’s judgement dated 03.05.2021. The private unaided schools are facing severe financial crunch even to meet the day to day expenses..have to pay salaries to their staff..your statements hurt their rights to recover their outstanding dues.” It further added that the education minister’s statements “have instigated the parents not to pay the outstanding fees and funds to their schools.” 

The private schools’ body has demanded that the minister clarify his statements by directing the parents to clear the outstanding dues and then apply for the transfer certificates.

NISA President Kulbhushan Sharma said that the Supreme Court had allowed all private schools in Delhi to collect school annual and development fees from the parents of students during the lockdown. But Sisodia’s statements regarding fees and TC have created a problem and the private budget schools are facing trouble collecting their fees. “Their rights to recover their dues have been hurt,” said he.

NISA claimed that the education minister was violating the Delhi School Education Rules, 1973.

Sharma, on Tuesday, further added that he will be attending a meeting with the education minister regarding the matter and try and come to a conclusion.

Also Read: NISA challenges CBSE’s internal assessments policy for class X exams