"I don't have a choice. I have to secure a seat. I will also apply to other preferred schools and if we make it, then I will have to forfeit this money," said Panja.

Many schools have also asked parents to pay huge money under the garb of development fund and building fund. "At Venkateswar International School, Dwarka, I was asked to pay Rs 25,000 as development fee. They wanted only cash and said no receipt would be given," said Sumit Singh, parent.

Singh does not know if he would get the money back if he decided to take his son to some other school. "I won't have proof that I have paid that amount," he said.

An official looking after admissions in the school said on conditions of anonymity that the school follows the guidelines of the Directorate of Education (DoE) in this regard. Headmistress Meenakshi Malhotra was not available for comment.

The DoE guideline says that if any parent or guardian chooses to withdraw the child from the school within one month from the date of the admission, then the school may retain the registration charges, admission fee and the tuition fee for one month only All other charges have to be refunded.

"Giving or taking money without a receipt is illegal. Both the school and the parents are to be blamed for this," said S.L. Jain, principal of Mahavir Senior Secondary School.

But desperate parents are giving in to such pressures. "Since we cannot show that we have given the money, we cannot claim any income tax rebate on the sum," said Geeta Anand, a parent, who said she had to pay Rs 31,000 at Indraprasta World School in Paschim Vihar as development fee.

Principal of the school, Rajesh Hassija dismissed the claim. "Nothing like that is being asked and we charge only nominal admission fee," Hassija said.

Principals said a non-refundable amount ensured that parents did not hop schools. "Reputed schools do not have this problem because no one wants to leave. But many new schools know that given a choice, parents would change schools.So they charge hefty amounts," said the principal of a North Delhi school, not wanting to be quoted.