Private Schools in 5 UP Districts Under Scanner Over Alleged Underpayment of Teachers

Private secondary schools in five Uttar Pradesh districts have come under scrutiny following allegations that some institutions are failing to spend the prescribed 75% of their fee income on teachers' salaries.

The scrutiny follows concerns raised by a committee of the Uttar Pradesh Legislative Council examining the commercialisation of education. The committee has directed officials to examine financial records of private schools in Prayagraj, Lucknow, Agra, Aligarh and Gorakhpur.

A senior official of the state Secondary Education Department said the committee has also sought a report from the concerned Principal Secretary within a month.

Financial records raise concerns

The committee's action followed an examination of financial records submitted by private schools in Prayagraj.

It reviewed income and expenditure statements for three financial years — 2021-22, 2022-23 and 2023-24 — and found significant variations in the proportion of fee income that schools reported spending on teachers' salaries.

Records submitted in 2024 for three schools in Prayagraj showed that only Jagat Taran Golden Jubilee School met the prescribed 75% salary expenditure norm. The other institutions reportedly spent a substantially lower share of their fee income on teachers' salaries.

In one case, a prominent CBSE school in Shivkuti reported spending only 34.45% of its income on teachers' salaries in 2021-22. The proportion increased to 42.33% in 2022-23 and 42.79% in 2023-24, according to the financial statements examined by the committee.

The records showed considerable variations in salary expenditure among schools over the three-year period, with several institutions reporting figures well below the stipulated 75% level.

35 Prayagraj schools served notices

The committee has expressed concern that the discrepancies identified in Prayagraj could also exist in other districts. It has therefore ordered a wider examination of school records.

Following the directions, Prayagraj Basic Shiksha Adhikari (BSA) Anil Kumar issued notices to 35 private secondary schools, seeking details of their total income and expenditure on teachers' salaries.

“Reports have been sought from 35 schools regarding their income and payments made towards teachers’ salaries,” BSA Anil Kumar said.

The schools will now be required to provide financial details that can help authorities determine whether they are complying with the prescribed salary expenditure requirement.

Wider scrutiny of private school finances

The exercise is expected to establish whether the alleged shortfall is limited to a small number of institutions or reflects a broader pattern among private secondary schools.

The committee's examination has also brought greater attention to the financial practices of private schools, particularly the relationship between fee collections and expenditure on teaching staff.

Officials are expected to examine the records submitted by schools across the five districts before preparing the report sought by the Legislative Council committee.

The findings could determine whether further action or financial scrutiny is required against institutions found to be violating the prescribed norms.