Delhi govt warns pvt schools against ties with admission agents

The Directorate of Education (DoE) has asked private schools to refrain from associating with admission-related consulting agencies or agents officially or unofficially, according to a circular issued by director, DoE, Himanshu Gupta on Wednesday.

The development comes after DoE received a complaint, the investigation of which revealed that rival admission consultancies complained against each other using the names of DoE officials, the notice said. It was not clarified who filed the complaint with DoE.

DoE, in the circular, said they received a complaint against a person who runs an admission-related website and a second person who runs a bookshop in Delhi. “A complaint was received in the office of the Director of Education in which it was alleged that (they) are ‘running a paid admission racket and earning a heavy amount’ by getting admissions done in prominent schools. The complainant further alleged that (they) claim to be representing the senior officers of the Directorate of Education,” said DoE’s notice.

“...Managements and heads of all private and government-aided schools are cautioned to refrain from having any official or unofficial association with such admission-related consulting agencies or firms or websites or web apps or individual agents, even for management quota seats,” the circular signed by Gupta said.

Prohibiting the capitation fee to secure admissions in schools, Gupta asked managers and heads of all private schools to deal with applicant parents directly instead of through external agencies or agents.

Parents, especially those navigating school admissions for the first time, often scramble for credible reviews and information on admission to various schools. Over the years, forums resolving admission-related queries have proliferated on social media websites like Facebook and WhatsApp. Several groups on Facebook have over 10,000 members and are actively used by parents and guardians as a forum to clear doubts related to schools and admission.

In its circular, DoE said that the department is committed to checking and curtailing commercialisation of education. It also warned of action against schools if any such activity is reported to it. “If any such connivance comes to the notice of the DoE, strictest possible action shall be initiated against the manager and head of school of the concerned school,” the notice said.

The DoE said it has also forwarded the complaint to the police who conducted an inquiry and concluded that the website founder and a third person, who runs a consultancy service, run different school admission agencies and act as mediators between private schools and parents. The DoE added that the police report concluded that the two are rivals and circulate complaints to tarnish each other’s reputation. DoE said that while police are taking action against the concerned individuals, “schools accepting admissions through such illicit agencies” may have to face serious repercussions.

HT reached out to the website founder who declined to comment on the matter. “I would not like to respond right now,” he said. Meanwhile, the person who runs the bookshop could not be reached for comment. HT reached out to the consultant’s office as well and was told that he is not available.

Advising schools against dealing with such agents for admission, DoE said that charging any donation, capitation, consultancy, or facilitation fee for, before or after admission is strictly prohibited as per Section 17 (sub-sections 1, 2, and 3) of the Delhi School Education Act and Ruler (DSEAR), 1973.

Deputy commissioner of police (north), Sagar Singh Kalsi, said no legal action has been taken so far and that the individuals involved had issued an apology. “During the inquiry, some people were questioned and it was found that they were running an agency to assist parents in admissions with counseling, file work, etc. They said that the letters were sent by them to schools, in disguise, as their rivals were doing better than them and that they did not want to defame anyone,” said Kalsi.

The DCP added that the individuals tendered a written apology to the schools.

Sudha Acharya, chairperson of the National Progressive School Conference (NPSC), a consortium of private schools, said that most schools conduct direct admissions and do not rely on agents or admission consultancies. “This is the first time that we have heard about something like this. Our school holds direct admissions and details are put out on the website. We also have helplines for admission queries. If the seats remain empty, they continue to remain empty,” said Acharya.

Aprajita Gautam, president, Delhi Parents Association, said that navigating the admission process is challenging for parents since there is no platform where parents could get credible information about schools. Gautam said that mediators exploit the situation. “There is no single platform where we can get information about all schools or their record. Schools flaunt their credentials on their websites. Parents seeking admission are clueless and often end up trusting these mediators,” said Gautam.