Delhi Cracks Down on Private School Finances

In response to growing parental complaints, the Delhi government is undertaking a comprehensive financial audit of private schools. Specialized audit teams will delve into the financial records of private educational institutions across the capital, scrutinizing their accounts for the past three years to identify possible financial mismanagement and excessive fee collection.

The Directorate of Education has announced the engagement of three project management units to conduct these audits, with a budget estimated at Rs 6.3 crore. Each unit will comprise ten chartered accountants, responsible for auditing nearly 1,800 private unaided recognized schools in Delhi.

The audit teams will rigorously analyze financial statements, with a focus on identifying anomalies and suspicious transactions. They will follow a standard operating procedure laid out by the DoE. Interviews with school managements, inspection of supporting documents, and possibly physical verifications, will form part of the audit process, leading to individualized reports and draft orders for each institution. The initiative aims to ensure financial transparency and accountability in private schools, facilitating corrective measures if necessary.