The Delhi high court on Wednesday slammed Delhi Public School, Dwarka, for allegedly confining students to the library and barring them from classes over non-payment of “unauthorised” fees. Terming the conduct “shocking,” the bench said the school was treating students in a “shabby and inhuman way” and suggested that the government criminally prosecute the principal for torture.
“The controversy over fees does not give you the license to treat students with such indignity,” the court said, adding that the institution was being run as a “money-making machine.” The judge said the school “deserved to be shut down” for its treatment of children.
The observations came while hearing an application filed by a group of parents alleging that their children had been harassed for not paying a fee hike they alleged was illegal. They alleged that since March 20, the school had confined students to the library, denied them access to classes and amenities, and prevented them from interacting with others.
The court was particularly scathing after reviewing an April 4 inspection report submitted by a committee led by district magistrate (southwest) Lakshay Singhal. The report flagged discriminatory treatment of students amid the ongoing fee dispute. “There is an inspection report. I’m concerned with you treating the students in a shabby and inhuman way. You keep them all in the library? What is going on? What steps are you taking to take care of the emergent situation when they are treating students like chattels,” the judge remarked.
The court ordered that the school must immediately stop confining students to the library, denying them classes or access to school facilities, or segregating them for non-payment of fees. It also directed the Directorate of Education (DoE) to conduct regular inspections to ensure compliance.
As the order was pronounced, several students in school uniform were seen inside the courtroom with their parents.
Senior advocate Puneet Mittal, appearing for the school, attempted to explain the situation, but the judge said some safeguards must be in place to prevent such treatment. “You are only running the school as a money-making machine. Some safeguard must be there so that you do not harass the students in your lust for money,” the court said.
The Delhi government has already launched action against schools accused of arbitrarily increasing fees. On April 7, education minister Ashish Sood announced that audit reports from all 1,677 private schools would be collected and uploaded to the DoE’s website within 10 days. A committee has also been formed to examine the structure of fee hikes.
The order comes a day after chief minister Rekha Gupta promised “swift and strict” action against private schools that threatened students with expulsion or hiked fees arbitrarily. Gupta, who met with groups of aggrieved parents, said all such schools would be issued notices.
The parents’ plea was filed in response to the school’s petition challenging a July 18, 2024, order by the National Commission for Protection of Child Rights (NCPCR), which had asked police to register an FIR against the school. The commission cited allegations that students had been expelled, their names publicly listed on the school website, and that a female student had been denied help during menstruation. The High Court had stayed that order on July 30.
DoE standing counsel Sameer Vashisht informed the court that a show-cause notice was sent to the school on April 8, asking why it should not be derecognised. The department would decide its next steps after receiving the school’s response.
Delhi education minister Ashish Sood, told HT, “This is a huge victory of our strategy. Today, the court has called out DPS Dwarka for treating their students with such indignity, over fee issues.”
The court has posted the matter for further hearing on May 5.
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