Delhi Schools Fee Hike: Schools may appeal to the SC again

In a similar manner, the bench of Supreme Court headed by Chief Justice J S Khehar has also observed that these schools have to take permission from the government before hiking fees as they are on the land allotted by the Delhi Development Authority (DDA).

Supreme Court

Supreme Court

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Private schools in the national capital will have to take prior permission from the government before increasing the school fees.

The Supreme Court on Monday decided to overrule the plea brought by the committee of private unaided schools thus challenging the Delhi High Court’s ruling in the earlier event asking the private schools to comply by the government norms regarding fee hike.

The Delhi High Court had earlier mandated the private schools to take prior permission from the government before hiking their fees as these schools are located on land allotted by the Delhi Development Authority (DDA) and further added that schools cannot indulge in profiteering and commercialisation of education.

The High Court judgement had come after a PIL filed by an NGO which had sought that recognised private unaided schools eastablished on land allotted by DDA are directed to abide by the stipulation in the letter of allotment, which is to take prior sanction of DoE before hiking their fees.

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In a similar manner, the bench of Supreme Court headed by Chief Justice J S Khehar has also observed that these schools have to take permission from the government before hiking fees as they are on the land allotted to them by the Delhi Development Authority (DDA) and refused to admit the plea for hearing.

“We have another chance to challenge the order of Delhi High Court that mandated government nod for fee hike.We are just discussing the possible options of moving SC again,” said S K Bhattacharya, Chairperson of Action Committee of Private Schools, which has over 1000 schools registered with it.

“It will be premature to comment on the content of the possible petition but we are working on it,” added Bhattacharya.

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The Government had last year ordered that private unaided recognised schools, built on the land allotted by DDA or other government agencies on concessional rates, shall not increase tuition fee without prior permission of the Directorate, prompting schools to take the legal recourse.

The High Court had also directed the Delhi government’s Directorate of Education (DoE) to ensure compliance of the terms in letter of allotment regarding increase of fees by recognised private unaided schools on land alloted by the DDA.

It had also directed the DDA to take appropriate steps in accordance with the law against those private schools which violated the stipulation regarding fee hike in the letter of allotment.

source”cnbc”