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HC stays education department’s action against 13 schools
HC stayed education department’s decision to cancel recognition of 13 schools run by Sinhgad Technical Education Society over non-payment of teachers’ salaries, disruption of teaching
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PUNE: The Bombay High Court has stayed the Maharashtra education department’s decision to cancel the recognition of 13 schools run by Sinhgad Technical Education Society over non-payment of teachers’ salaries and disruption of classroom teaching. The interim relief was granted on November 6, keeping the department’s action on hold pending further judicial directions.
Deputy director of education, Pune division, Machhindranath Kadam, confirmed the development, saying the department would decide its next course of action in accordance with the court’s orders.
On November 5, the education department initiated proceedings against the 13 schools following inspections in 2026 that revealed teachers had not received salaries for several months. The teachers had boycotted classroom teaching, disrupting academic activities and affecting students’ learning.
The matter had earlier come up for a hearing before the deputy director of education on July 20, 2026, when representatives of the institution and education department officials presented their respective positions. While the department highlighted the disruption of teaching and academic losses suffered by students, the institution cited financial difficulties for the delay in salary payments.
During the hearing, the institution’s representative, M S Gaikwad, claimed that the government had not reimbursed ₹10.5 crore towards fees for students admitted under the Right to Education (RTE) Act between 2017 and 2026. He argued that the pending reimbursement would help clear teachers’ salary dues. The institution also cited the financial burden of implementing the Seventh Pay Commission and delays in fee payments by parents.
The department, however, maintained that non-payment of salaries had disrupted school functioning and affected students’ education. Its proposed action also included directions to education officers and the Pune Municipal Corporation’s education department to facilitate the transfer of students to other schools to prevent further academic losses.
With the court staying the proceedings, both the cancellation of recognition and the student-adjustment process will remain on hold.
“The education department had initiated proceedings to cancel the recognition of 13 schools run by Sinhgad Technical Education Society. However, the court has directed that the action be stayed for now. Further decisions regarding the action will be taken in accordance with the subsequent orders of the court,” Kadam said.
The High Court order names 10 of the 13 schools facing derecognition: Sinhgad College of Arts, Commerce and Science at Narhe, Ambegaon and Kondhwa; Sinhgad Public School, Khusgaon; RMD Springdale Secondary School at Warje and Karvenagar-Erandwane; and primary schools at Ambegaon, Vadgaon, Kondhwa and Warje.
