Delhi High Court reinstates names of students struck off by private school over unpaid fees

A single-judge bench of Justice Swarana Kanta Sharma, in its July 9 interim order, said, “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% 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 HC said the order was being passed keeping in view the “future and saving the academic year” of the students.

The HC also issued notice to the Delhi government’s DoE, the school concerned — Delhi Public School (DPS) Dwarka — and the Delhi Development Authority (DDA) in the main petition asking them to file their response in two weeks. The matter is next listed on July 30.

On Saturday, The Indian Express reported that DPS Dwarka had published on its official website the names of 21 students and the outstanding fees their parents have to pay. On Friday, The Indian Express reported that over 20 students of DPS were allegedly not being allowed inside their classrooms since school resumed after summer vacation on July 1. Parents alleged their children were being “segregated” and their names had been struck off from the rolls.

Apart from seeking the students’ reinstatement, the plea filed by the parents sought that only approved fees be charged by the school for the 2024-25 academic year.

The plea further sought directions to the school to refund the “excess amount lying with them for the previous years, prior to the academic session 2023-24, amounting to Rs 1,76,000.”

It also sought a direction to the DDA to cancel the allotment of land to the school.