Delhi HC ordered that the parents are entitled to bring it to the notice of the Directorate of Education, in case a school demands consolidated fees i.e. without distinguishing the various heads of tuition fees, co-curricular activities fee etc. The order was passed by a single Judge Bench of Justice Prathiba M Singh in a petition by Rajat Vats (Petitioner).
The Petitioner had moved the High Court seeking a direction to the Delhi Government to suspend all heads of fees being charged by private schools, except tuition fees, for the month of April to June 2020 on account of the COVID-19 pandemic.
The Court was informed that on April 17, an order had already been passed directing the schools that they shall not demand any fees except tuition fee from parents.
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Taking on record the Delhi Government order passed on April 17, the Court observed,
“Insofar as the tuition fee is concerned, the charging of the same would be justified in view of the fact that almost all the schools are conducting online classes and the teachers are discharging their functions by imparting course work over online platforms, checking project work online, correcting papers wherein students have already given examinations, preparing questions on lessons taught and supervising students to complete the work given etc. There is also a burden on the schools to pay their staff during these months.”
By recording the petitioner’s concern, the court ordered:
“If there is any specific complaint against any particular school, the parents concerned would be entitled to bring the same to the notice of the Directorate of Education, which shall take steps in accordance with law.”
Read the order here:
