HC orders DPS Dwarka to reinstate students struck off for non-payment of fees

A bench of Justice Jasmeet Singh said that the practice of taking such action against students every year was unjustified

The Delhi high court on Monday directed Delhi Public School (DPS) Dwarka to permit 25 students, whose names were struck off for non-payment of fees, to attend classes, expressing displeasure over the institute’s alleged failure to comply with its earlier directions restraining it from taking coercive action.

The court directed the parents to deposit 50% of the outstanding fees by April 17. (Getty Images/iStockphoto)

A bench of Justice Jasmeet Singh said that the practice of taking such action against students every year was unjustified, and that the recurring nature of the issue indicated that something was wrong with the school.

“It can’t be that every year we’ll undergo the same exercise. Once there is an order, you have to comply with it in letter and spirit. It’s not fair on your school’s part. Not fair at all. Every year, the same mockery. Same exercise. What is this? Every year, the same circus. There is something wrong with the school…” the court said to the school’s lawyer, Puneet Mittal.

The court directed the parents to deposit 50% of the outstanding fees by April 17. “The wards shall be permitted to join the school from tomorrow [Tuesday],” the court said.

Parents of over 100 students moved the court seeking contempt proceedings against the school’s principal, Priya Narayanan, and Management Committee chairman, Kaushik Datta, for allegedly violating the earlier order and striking off the names of 25 students over non-payment of outstanding fees from April 7.

In May 2025, the high court directed the school to allow the students to continue their education. It ordered paying 50% of the increased fees from 2024-25 onwards until the Directorate of Education took a call on the school’s request to increase the fees.