Delhi High Court asks Private schools to return money to parents or face action

Jibran Nazir

New Delhi: Directorate of Education, Delhi has informed the Delhi High court that the "private, unaided recognised" schools failing to comply with Justice Atul Dev Singh’s recommendation will face the prospect of their de-recognition or take over.

As per Justice Atul Dev recognition, the private schools, which had hiked fees despite having adequate funds were asked to return the fees with none percent interest to the parents.

The DoE, on behalf of the Delhi government, Wednesday submitted an affidavit in court, which said it was “endeavouring to ensure the compliance of interim reports of Justice Anil Dev Singh Committee”. It also said that the DoE, to ensure compliance of the committee’s report, had earlier directed defaulting schools to comply with the recommendations through five orders between February 2013 and July 2016. Following this, specific orders were also issued for refunding excess fee.

A total of 471 “erring private unaided recognised schools” were again issued directions as per the Delhi School Education Rules, 1973, to submit a compliance report within seven days after receiving the order, said the affidavit. In case of non-compliance, the DoE would take action as per rules by withdrawal of recognition, or by taking over the management (except in case of minority schools), the affidavit said.

Listing the matter for August 11, a bench of Justice Siddharth Mridul and Justice Mukta Gupta directed the DoE to take action against the erring schools, and submit an action taken report. Earlier, counsel for the parents, Ashok Aggarwal, said around Rs 350 crore was yet to be returned to parents. The committee, constituted after the High Court’s 2011 order, had, in its 10 interim reports, recommended refund of excess fee with 9 per cent interest.