Delhi HC restores names of students removed from private school over fee hike dispute

New Delhi: The Delhi High Court has restored on the rolls of a private school here the names of certain students that were struck off after the parents refused to pay the hiked fees.

Justice Swarana Kanta Sharma, in an order passed on July 9, asked the parents to deposit 50 per cent of the hiked school fee for the ongoing academic year.

The court's order came on a petition by the parents who argued that Delhi Public School in Dwarka removed the names of their wards from its rolls on account of non-payment of the hiked fee.

The parents claimed that the fee was hiked without the approval of the Directorate of Education (DoE).

The court issued a notice to the DoE as well as the school on the petition and asked them to file their response within two weeks.

"In the interregnum, it is directed that without prejudice to the rights and contentions of the respective parties and subject to the petitioners depositing 50 per cent of the hiked school fee only for the academic year 2024-25, the names of the wards of the petitioners be restored on the rolls of the school in their respective classes, subject to the final outcome of the present writ petition."

"The present order is being passed keeping in view the future and saving the academic year of the petitioners herein," the court said.

The petitioner-parents have claimed that the school administration recently expelled more than 20 students for not paying the hiked fees, which, according to them, was unapproved.

In the petition, the petitioners not only sought directions to immediately reinstate their children but also to direct the school to only charge the "approved" fee for the academic year.

The plea said the school administration should "strictly comply" with a high court decision that held that no unapproved fee can be charged from the parents unless the same is approved by the DoE.

They also sought the court's direction to the authorities to cancel the allotment of land of the school and take over its administration under the law.

The matter would be heard next on July 30.