DRDO school in Doon handed over to pvt trust; teachers face salary cuts, parents write to PM in protest

Dehradun: Parents of students at RAV School in Dehradun, earlier run by the Defence Research and Development Organisation (DRDO), have written to the Prime Minister seeking intervention after the school was handed over to a private trust. Parents and teachers said they learned about the change in ownership earlier this week when the signboard at the school entrance was changed.

“ A school’s ownership can’t be changed overnight. Stakeholders should have been informed. Nobody told us about the issue when we came to collect results or during the session break,” said Archana Sharma, parent of a Class 6 student. She added that many parents are now considering shifting their children.

Teachers, some of whom have been associated with the school for decades, said they were also not informed about the change in management.

“We have been told that the new management will not pay us our previous salaries and many of us may face more than 50% deductions. This is after many of us have served here for decades. The school started in 1993 and I have been here since 1999. How can we be treated this way and not even be informed of such a decision?” said Preeti Sharma, an environmental science teacher.

Parents also raised concerns about the future of the school. “There was a certain educational standard under the DRDO school. Can the new trust maintain that? For now, they are continuing with the same uniform, curriculum and fees, but that may change,” they said.

In their letter to the Prime Minister, parents urged the Centre to intervene. “For the past 30 years, this school has operated successfully under the DRDO and has been affiliated with CBSE. Overnight, a new signboard was put up at the entrance. Without any prior notice, everyone -- from the gatekeeper to the principal and teachers -- was replaced. This sudden change has caused severe psychological stress to students and parents. The academic session has already begun. When everything was proceeding normally, why was such a decision taken in the middle of the session?” the letter read.

The letter added that most students come from middle- or lower-middle-class families. “It is impossible for us to afford the high fees of private schools. Teachers who have devoted decades to the school have been left without support. As a result, the future of around 150 children is uncertain. When parents approached senior DRDO officials, they cited lack of funds. Is it possible that such a large organisation cannot sustain a school of 150 students?” it said.

Meanwhile, teachers said they are concurrently pursuing a case in the Delhi high court over arrears under the 7th Pay Commission. “The next hearing is on May 21. Such a step during an ongoing case amounts to contempt. The school had stopped admissions in 2021 citing lack of funds. After nearly three years, admissions resumed in 2025, and now this has happened. This is affecting the future of students,” said Arif Khan, president of the National Association for Parents and Students Rights.

A senior DRDO official, speaking on condition of anonymity, said,“We are holding meetings with all stakeholders, including the new management, to ensure a smooth transition. The only issue is pay disparity for teachers, and efforts are being made to resolve it.”
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