GHP Schools in deficit of Rs 38 cr, says Bath

Syed Ali Ahmed

Tribune News Service

New Delhi, February 7

Guru Harkrishan Public (GHP) Schools run by the Delhi Sikh Gurdwara Management Committee (DSGMC) are in deficit of Rs 38 crore that is why teaching and non-teaching staff is not getting salaries regularly, said chief adviser to the DSGMC Kulwant Singh Bath.

He said reason for deficit in schools was over staffing, less number of students and fee concession. For the last few years, enrolment in schools has come down.

He said GHP School in India Gate is in deficit of Rs 4.25 lakh, Loni Road Rs 2.31 crore, Vasant Vihar Rs 3.15 crore, Hargobind Enclave Rs 2.47 crore, Hemkunt Colony Rs 3.84 crore, Kalkaji Rs 3.47 crore, Nanak Piao Rs 4.26 crore, Punjabi Bagh Rs 3.72 crore, Fateh Nagar Rs 4.16 crore, Karol Bagh Rs 3.40 crore, Tilak Nagar Rs. 2.19 crore and school at Dhakka Dhirpur Rs 1.70 crore.

According to Bath, annual expenditure in schools (salary) Rs 102 crore and revenue through tuition fee is Rs 63 crore. Total fee concession is Rs 6.57 crore.

He said the schools have to take fee amount of Rs 8 crore from defaulters.

Bath said tuition fee is the only revenue of the schools. If enrolment of students is not increased and over staffing is not checked, the schools cannot come out of deficit. At present, a total number of 20,058 are enrolled in all the branches of GHP Schools though total number of seats in schools are 25, 000.

However, sources said the DSGMC in Delhi court in case of GHPS Staff Welfare Association versus DSGMC had submitted an affidavit in February 2017 confirming that its annual revenue was Rs 121 crore and expenditure is Rs 123 crore. Ten per cent hike in fee is done every year. Total number of students were 22,000.

In 2018, the DSGMC had submitted in the Delhi Legislative Assembly saying that its revenue is Rs 87 crore.