New Delhi: Twelve-year-old P, a student of Delhi Public School Ghaziabad at Meerut Road, has her music class at 5 pm after school. But she has been unable to attend for the past week. By the time she reaches home and travels to her class, she ends up missing a significant portion.
P’s situation reflects a growing concern among parents. Over the past few days, hundreds of parents have gathered outside the school gate at DPSG Meerut Road, protesting against the recent change in school timings, alleging that the decision was implemented without prior notice or proper consultation. They raised slogans such as “DPSG hay hay” and “Manmaani nahi chalegi“.
According to the revised schedule, junior classes now run from 8:30 am to 3:35 pm, compared to the earlier closing time of 2:30 pm. Senior students attend school from 7:30 am to 2:35 pm.
“Earlier, my daughter used to reach home by around 3:30 pm. She had enough time to rest, complete her homework, and attend her dance classes. Now she reaches nearly an hour later, which makes her more tired and exhausted,” said P’s father, requesting anonymity.
The new timings have been in effect since 1 April. Parents claim that the school administration informed them only a day in advance, leaving little room for adjustment or discussion.
The school administration, however, has defended the decision, stating that the revised schedule has been introduced to streamline academic planning and improve the overall structure of the school day for students. The change in timings has also been implemented across other branches, including DPSG Vasundhara, Faridabad, Gurugram, and Sushant Lok. However, the protests so far have been concentrated outside the Meerut Road campus.
“The timings have been extended because we are introducing a five-minute break after each class. This ensures that both students and teachers have sufficient time to transition between classes without exhaustion,” said an official from the school management.
The official further added that the principal and management are in constant communication with parents and are trying to explain the purpose behind the change.
“This is being done for the betterment of students, not to burden them. We will continue with this as a trial until the summer vacation. If parents still have concerns, we will review the decision,” the official said.
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‘School doesn’t understand consent’
More than 500 parents reportedly gathered outside the school, demanding a rollback of the new timings. On Monday, a group of parents also approached the Ghaziabad District Magistrate’s office and submitted a joint letter seeking intervention.
“The school did not even consider holding a proper meeting with the parents’ committee before taking this step. This is not reducing the burden on children; it is increasing it. If children are reaching home at 5 or 6 pm, it is clearly too exhausting,” said another parent, whose son studies in Class 3.
While the school maintains that the decision is in the interest of students, some parents have alleged that the move is linked to logistical or infrastructure issues.
“They do not have sufficient buses for all students. That is why they have staggered the timings, so the same buses can be used for different groups,” a parent alleged. However, the school has denied this.
The school has also reportedly introduced a Saturday initiative called the Ek Bharat Program, which includes activities such as grooming sessions and etiquette training. It has also become a point of contention.
While the school maintains that these sessions contribute to students’ holistic development, several parents argue that such activities should remain optional rather than being made compulsory.
“The school management does not seem to understand the meaning of consent. They are imposing decisions without considering the views of students or parents,” said a parent whose child is not interested in attending the Saturday classes.
(Edited by Prasanna Bachchhav)