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Expelled by the DPS Society for pointing out its “irregularities”, its former president Salman Khurshid says the governing body for 11 Delhi Public Schools, and another 119 franchisee institutions, says “brand DPS” began to go off track with the franchise scheme.
The Congress leader, who moved the Delhi High Court following his expulsion on September 1, was the DPS Society president from 1993 to 2004. “It worked well when DPS began the franchise system in the 1960s with public sector units such BHEL and others. But the problem started when DPS went to the private sector,” Khurshid told Newsline.
Parents, he said, line up for DPS going by the institution’s name and reputation but the franchisee schools are “DPS only by name; they aren’t actually DPS”. To begin with, Khurshid said, the Society should “open its doors” to franchise schools and make them stakeholders.
Khurshid said he took up the cudgels on behalf of franchise schools after DPS Society’s recent decision to hike charges for lending its brand. Till now, the schools had to pay Rs 5 lakh upfront to DPS Society for inking the deal, and another Rs 5 lakh as annual charges.
According to Khurshid’s petition in High Court, the Society now plans to raise both amounts to Rs 25 lakh.
“I wrote to all 140 schools — they (franchise schools) were being short-changed by DPS Society. They had every right to be part of the society — a preserve till date of only 11 schools.”
The DPS Society’s rules make it clear that the elite league “reserves the right to decide about further extension and also the right to change management fee payable¿ to DPS Society.” At present, only 11 schools and their principals, besides illustrious names such as Planning Commission Deputy Chairman Montek Singh Ahluwalia and author Khushwant Sigh among others, are its members.
DPS Society chairman Ashok Chandra refused to comment on the issue since it is sub-judice.
‘Big fraud’
But principal of a franchise DPS called it a “big fraud”: “I have to answer parents who admitted their children in our school only because it is a ‘DPS’. But when DPS Society suddenly asks me to cough up 25 lakh for initial registration and Rs 25 lakh as annual charges, and says this guarantees the DPS name for my school is for just nine months, it is a big fraud I am forced to commit against students and parents who trust us and the DPS brand.
“If DPS Society suddenly withdraws its name off my school, can you imagine what it will mean to hundreds of students enrolled here?”
Another principal said though the franchise schools are “DPS to everyone in the city, the fact is they are not DPS. And the DPS Society ensures this is never forgotten.”
But another principal of a prominent DPS said the model has worked just fine. “It is a unique way of taking DPS’s standards to other cities but not as clones,” the principal said. “DPS franchise schools, as some term them, developed keeping in mind local needs: school fees and recruiting teachers locally among other steps. But DPS Society ensures that standards are maintained and the academic quality is good.
“That is why there is a clause that allows DPS to withdraw its name from a school if standards are not maintained.”
Khurshid’s petition in HC:
“This is violation of the Delhi School Education Act and CBSE Affiliation Bylaws and misrepresentation to the public that franchise schools are DPS schools. Outside India, DPS has sold its name and logo to schools run by profit-making businesses in clear violation of laws — DPS Kuwait was recently sold for reportedly Rs 200 crore.
“All principals of DPS schools in Delhi have been given responsibility of up to 10 franchise schools and paid additional amounts for this.”
DPS: Going back in time
* In 1941 began Church High School, in President’s Estate
* It relocated with the new name — Delhi Public School — to Mathura Road in 1949
* The school initially operated in tents, under principal K C Khanna and vice-principal Din Dayal.
* DPS, RK Puram, began in 1972
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teachers who left DPS BHILAI and joined DPS DURG have ruined their career.Will the higher authorities ever think of the consequences of such a DRASTIC DECISION[FORCING TO PAY 25 LAKHS] The school management resorted to stop paying 6th Pay scales, not providing payslips.,etc Eventually many teachers have left job. I am one of them
Dps opened in Jaipur is hopeless with teachers speaking in hindi or wrong english. They look like government school teachers and nobody is bothered about the children. This franchisee school should be named against some corrupt politician than the reputed name dps. The principal working here is more bothered about her own than about the school. She has been thrown out from two of the dps branches and now given the power of holding the principal post of dps jaipur. They have receptionists who are like behanjis. The material of uniform is pathetic. Children don't have proper benches to sit.
I am calling out to all parents of girl children going to DPS. I have no idea why they have white dress in summers. The poor girls have a bad time, it being a co-ed school and they face too much problems because of the white dress. This is a clear cut case of gender discrimination against girls. The white dress should be immediately changed to bottle green skirt . Immediate action should be taken. I am requesting all parents to take strong action and launch a protest for this.
Its very strange as well as ridiculus when i searched email id of dps society its missing everywhere.If i want to make any complaint about school the only thing i can do is to make a call or send them a fax.
I dont know the other DPS, but in Pinjore the situation very bad. Every year teachers leave this school for their better future. Here, specially Teachers are not getting grades, even they are here from last 5 years. And not getting the wages also accordingly. I just want to say one thing, the society should check this school without informing. But it never happens in India specially. I think DPS society should take strict action and ply a good role to make the better management in their franchise to grow more in future. Because there should be quality, people are paying them more than that. If anybody is having DPS society email address, please let me know. I am in Chandigarh.
Recently I had a terrible experience at DPS lucknow. My Son who has been a DPS alumni of two DPS's, was not even given a chance to take test for admission, this despite a recommendation letter from previous DPS on the grounds of parent's transfer. The school principle kept telling us that seats are not available, whereas back door entry was given to students. What was shocking in the whole incident was the principle's rude behaviour and handling of parents. I could not agree more with the point that the DPS brand name is getting dis-reputed in the hands of franchisee system.
After reading the above contents it seems to me that the name of DPS in now becoming synonimous with business. The members and office beares currentyly heading the society have noting to do with quality education, which the name DPS have stood for the years. Now people who were tradionally businessmen and who were running busineesses such as liquor mafias, transporters,contractors and who themselves have never valued education, are now getting franchisees and running DPS schools.People who were tradionally into selling rice, grains and running desi daru dukans and with upgradatiuons such as english wine shops with lathaths(henchmen) are now running new business in the name of Delhi Public Schools. Certainly the current society have grown the business leaps and bounds and simaltaneously have disgraced the founders such as Pt jawahar lal nehru.