The All India Parents Association (AIPA) has taken a significant step towards advocating for the rights of school staff by formally petitioning the Lok Sabha Petition Committee. The association is pushing for the enactment of a comprehensive national law designed to protect the service conditions and salaries of both teaching and non-teaching employees working in unaided private schools across India.
Proposed Bill Aims for Job and Salary Security
In a detailed submission addressed to the committee's chairperson, the AIPA presented a draft of the proposed Private Unaided Schools (Security of Service to Employees) Bill, 2026. The core objectives of this legislation are threefold: to provide employees with enhanced job security, to guarantee the regular and timely disbursement of salaries, and to mandate that these schools implement the recommendations of pay commissions for their staff.
The association's move stems from serious allegations of systemic exploitation. According to their representation, unaided private schools frequently take advantage of both parents and their own employees. Families are often burdened with arbitrary and steep fee hikes, while staff members are routinely denied the salaries and statutory benefits they are legally entitled to receive.
Evidence from CAG Report and Supreme Court Cited
To substantiate its claims, the AIPA referenced a 2010 report by the Comptroller and Auditor General (CAG). This report, which examined 25 private schools in Delhi, uncovered troubling practices. It highlighted specific instances where schools underpaid wages and even recovered salaries after they had been paid to employees.
The association's letter to the committee quoted the report's findings, stating, "Amongst other things the report explains that firstly, schools don't pay due salaries to the employees and secondly, a major portion of salaries is taken back by the school. Moreover, school keeps with it employee's bank passbook and blank cheque book signed by the employee and that is used by them in withdrawing money from employee's bank account." Based on this, the AIPA argued that the current situation necessitates "a deterrent nature of provision of law."
Further strengthening their case, the submission also pointed to a Supreme Court judgment from 2002. This ruling had previously emphasized the critical need for establishing effective grievance redressal mechanisms specifically for employees working in private educational institutions.
A Call for Systemic Reform in School Governance
The push for this national law represents a direct response to long-standing grievances in the private education sector. The AIPA's petition underscores a demand for greater accountability and transparency in how unaided private schools manage their human resources and finances. If enacted, the proposed bill could mark a pivotal shift, ensuring that the welfare of school employees is legally safeguarded, thereby creating a more stable and equitable environment for educators and staff who form the backbone of these institutions.
The move has sparked discussions among education stakeholders, highlighting the ongoing tension between school autonomy and the need for regulatory oversight to protect the rights of employees and parents from potential malpractices.
