Premium

Ensure PTAs are formed in all schools, record steps taken so far, HC tells DoE

The PIL has flagged that as of December last year, according to a survey conducted by them, 170 private schools in the Capital do not have a PTA in accordance with the existing guidelines issued in 2010.

3 min readNew DelhiJan 15, 2026 06:20 AM IST

Ensure PTAs are formed in all schools, Parent-Teacher Association (PTA), public interest litigation (PIL), delhi high court, delhi news, India news, Indian express, current affairs

The petitioner has highlighted that not only are the PTAs essential but also that their role has been further increased under sections 7 and 10 of the Delhi School Education (Transparency in Fixation and Regulation of Fees) Act, 2025.

Even as the new school fee regulation law mandates parents’ representation in School-level Fee Regulation Committees (SLFRC), a majority of private schools do not have a functional Parent-Teacher Association (PTA), a public interest litigation (PIL) flagged on Wednesday.

The Delhi High Court while seeking a response from the Directorate of Education (DoE) on the contentions in the petition filed by NGO Justice for All, also directed the department to bring on record the steps taken by it so far to ensure that every school has a duly constituted PTA in place and ordered that in the meantime all necessary actions be taken in schools in case of any lacuna in this regard.

A division bench of Chief Justice DK Upadhyaya and Justice Tejas Karia, while issuing notice, posted the matter for next hearing on April 29.

The PIL has flagged that as of December last year, according to a survey conducted by them, 170 private schools in the Capital do not have a PTA in accordance with the existing guidelines issued in 2010.

The petition has highlighted that as per the Delhi School Education Act, 1973, its rules and guidelines issued in 2010 on the constitution of PTAs, democratically elected PTAs are not only “desirable but is a legal prerequisite for a valid fee fixation process”.

The petitioner has further highlighted that not only a majority of schools have “completely failed to constitute a PTA”, many were also found to have “subverted the democratic process by nominating their own favoured individuals to the executive committee, thereby creating a captive and compliant body that fails to represent the interest of the parents.”

The petitioner has highlighted that not only are the PTAs essential but also that their role has been further increased under section 7 and 10 of the Delhi School Education (Transparency in Fixation and Regulation of Fees) Act, 2025.

Story continues below this ad

The new law stipulates the constitution of the 11-member SLFRC which includes three teachers, five parent representatives from school PTAs and one DoE nominee.

In a separate batch of pleas challenging the constitutional validity of the new law, the DOE had earlier made a concession before the court and had extended the deadline for constituting the SLFRC to January 20, instead of the earlier set deadline of January 10.

Sohini Ghosh

Sohini Ghosh is a Senior Correspondent at The Indian Express. Previously based in Ahmedabad covering Gujarat, she recently moved to the New Delhi bureau, where she primarily covers legal developments at the Delhi High Court Professional Profile Background: An alumna of the Asian College of Journalism (ACJ), she previously worked with ET NOW before joining The Indian Express. Core Beats: Her reporting is currently centered on the Delhi High Court, with a focus on high-profile constitutional disputes, disputes over intellectual property, criminal and civil cases, issues of human rights and regulatory law (especially in the areas of technology and healthcare). Earlier Specialty: In Gujarat, she was known for her rigorous coverage in the beats of crime, law and policy, and social justice issues, including the 2002 riot cases, 2008 serial bomb blast case, 2016 flogging of Dalits in Una, among others. She has extensively covered health in the state, including being part of the team that revealed the segregation of wards at the state’s largest government hospital on lines of faith in April 2020. With Ahmedabad being a UNESCO heritage city, she has widely covered urban development and heritage issues, including the redevelopment of the Sabarmati Ashram Recent Notable Articles (Late 2025) Her recent reporting from the Delhi High Court covers major political, constitutional, corporate, and public-interest legal battles: High-Profile Case Coverage She has extensively covered the various legal battles - including for compensation under the aegis of North East Delhi Riots Claims Commission - pertaining to the 2020 northeast Delhi riots, as well as 1984 anti-Sikh riots. She has also led coverage at the intersection of technology and governance, and its impact on the citizenry, from, and beyond courtrooms — such as the government’s stakeholder consultations for framing AI-Deepfake policy. Signature Style Sohini is recognized for her sustained reporting from courtrooms and beyond. She specialises in breaking down dense legal arguments to make legalese accessible for readers. Her transition from Gujarat to Delhi has seen her expand her coverage on regulatory, corporate and intellectual property law, while maintaining a strong commitment to human rights and lacuna in the criminal justice system. X (Twitter): @thanda_ghosh ... Read More

Stay updated with the latest - Click here to follow us on Instagram

Loading Taboola...