Schools likely to move SC over mandatory government nod for fee hike

On Monday, the apex court dismissed an appeal of committee of private unaided schools.

Private schools in the national capital which have been mandated by the Supreme Court to take government nod for fee hike are likely to knock the doors of the apex court again.

The government last year ordered that private unaided recognised schools built on land alloted by DDA or other government agencies on concessional rates or otherwise should not increase tuition fee without prior permission of the directorate.(HT file photo)

On Monday, the apex court had dismissed an appeal of committee of private unaided schools, located on land alloted here by DDA, challenging a Delhi High Court order asking them to take government’s prior nod before hiking fees.

Read: Mandatory for Delhi private schools to seek govt approval before fee hike: SC

A bench headed by chief Justice JS Khehar said these schools have to take permission from the government before hiking fees as they are on 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 SK Bhattacharya, chairperson of Action Committee of Private Schools, which has over 1,000 schools registered with it.

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

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

Read: Delhi: Comply with SC order or be ready to face action, Sisodia warns pvt schools

The Delhi High Court, in its order, had said private unaided schools on land alloted by the DDA have to take prior government sanction before hiking fees and “schools cannot indulge in profiteering and commercialisation” of education.

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 DDA.

It had also directed 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.

The high court judgement had come on a PIL filed by an NGO.