Delhi cracks down on DUMMY schools, begins derecognition process

The Delhi government has cracked the whip on dummy schools. So far, notices have been issued to over 10 schools for flouting norms, and the derecognition process is already underway. This follows the identification of 20 institutions allegedly operating as dummy schools.

This development also comes a day after Delhi Chief Minister Rekha Gupta directed strict action against private schools over arbitrary fee hikes. The issue came to light during a Jan Samvaad at her residence, where concerned parents brought it to her attention.

What are dummy schools?

Dummy schooling is an illegal practice where schools, though affiliated with recognised boards like CBSE, don’t require students to attend regular classes. Instead, they enrol students only on paper and send them for coaching elsewhere — mostly for competitive exams like JEE and NEET. These students are often deprived of holistic school education and peer interaction.

Recent actions against private schools

This development also comes a day after Delhi Chief Minister Rekha Gupta directed strict action against private schools over arbitrary fee hikes. The issue came to light during a Jan Samvaad at her residence, where concerned parents brought it to her attention.One such incident involved the Queen Mary School in Model Town.

Reacting immediately, the Chief Minister instructed the Education Department to identify such schools and issue notices."It is completely unacceptable for any school to mentally harass parents or students, threaten them with expulsion, or increase fees without following due process," said Chief Minister Gupta.

March 2024 CBSE crackdown:

Earlier this year, in March 2024, the CBSE had also launched a crackdown on dummy schools across India. The board made it mandatory for Class 10 and 12 students to maintain minimum attendance and actively participate in academic and co-curricular activities. Several schools were warned or disaffiliated for enrolling students without regular schooling, signalling a shift towards stricter enforcement nationwide.