Delhi School Fee Row: HC seeks DoE response on DPS Dwarka's plea challenging order to reinstate students

NEW DELHI: The Delhi High Court on Thursday sought response of the Directorate of Education on a plea by Delhi Public School, Dwarka, challenging a DoE's order directing the institution to reinstate the 31 students who were expelled for non-payment of hiked fees. Justice Vikas Mahajan issued notice to the Delhi government's Directorate of Education (DoE) on the school's petition and asked it to file its reply within six weeks.

The court listed the matter for further hearing on August 28, when another petition by over 100 parents seeking protection of their children amid the ongoing fee hike issue was also fixed. During the hearing, the counsel for the school urged the court to stay the DoE's May 15 order directing the school to withdraw the strike off orders issued on May 9 and reinstate the fee defaulter students on the school rolls.

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The court also issued notice on a plea by several parents seeking to be impleaded and heard in the case. The school claimed that the DoE's order was ex-facie arbitrary and contrary to the law and that it failed to provide any cogent reasons for the school to reinstate the names of the fee defaulter students.

DPS Dwarka fee dispute

It said the order was against the provisions of the Delhi School Education Act and Rules, 1973, which empowered the head of the school to strike off the names on account of non-payment of fees. The high court recently directed that parents, embroiled in fee dispute with DPS Dwarka, to deposit 50 per cent of the hiked fees for academic year 2025-26 following which their wards will be allowed to continue their studies in the classes. The court clarified that the rebate of 50 per cent is on the hiked component of the fee and the base fee should be paid in full.

The interim order was passed on a petition by 102 parents seeking protection of their children amid the ongoing fee hike issue at DPS Dwarka and sought its takeover by the government and lieutenant governor in the capital.

The high court said the interim relief sought by the petitioners in this case with regard to academic year 2025-26 does not persuade it as nothing has been placed on record to show that the DoE has rejected the fixation of fee by the school for the academic session 2024-25 onwards.