Pvt schools on subsidised land can’t hike fees without approval: SC told

The Delhi government on Friday told the Supreme Court that private schools in the city allotted land at concessional rates cannot increase their fees without prior approval from the Directorate of Education (DoE).

- Utkarsh Anand

Earlier in April this year, parents protested against the school fee hike in front of the DoE office at Delhi Vidhan Sabha.

(ARVIND KUMAR/HT)

Additional solicitor general (ASG) Vikramjit Banerjee made the submission before a bench headed by Chief Justice of India Bhushan R Gavai and justice K Vinod Chandran, after the court asked the government to state its position clearly.

“What is the stand of the Delhi government? Do they have to take prior approval of the DoE or not?” the bench asked.

“Of course, they must take permission from the DoE before increasing fees,” the ASG responded, adding that a detailed affidavit to this effect would be filed soon. He drew a parallel with the Supreme Court’s 2018 ruling in the Mool Chand Khairati Ram Trust case, where hospitals that received government land at concessional rates were held obligated to provide free treatment to patients from economically weaker sections.