New Delhi, April 16 -- The Delhi High Court on Wednesday pulled up Delhi Public School Dwarka for treating students with "indignity" over a fee dispute by confining them in a library and not allowing them to attend classes or interact with peers.
Justice Sachin Datta said the school, which was treating students like "chattel", deserved to be shut down.
The court stressed on the placing some safeguards to ensure that the students were not "tortured" by the school, which was running the institution merely as a "money making machine".
In dramatic scenes, several students in their school uniforms, with books and bags, were present during the court proceedings along with their parents. "I am concerned with you treating the students in a shabby and inhumane way which is brought out in the inspection report. Assuming the fee is not paid, you are entitled to take action but surely not in this manner. What is this going on? Inability to pay fees does not give the school the licence to treat students with such indignity," the judge said.
The high court examined an inspection report of an eight-member committee led by the district magistrate (southwest), flagging several discriminatory practices against students amid the fee hike row.
The report said the students were barred from attending regular classes and confined to the library, restricted access to the canteen, not allowed to communicate with friends and closely monitored by guards during washroom visits.
"What kind of conduct is this? Such a school does not deserve to be open for a single day. DoE must conduct a thorough inquiry into this. What action are you taking? They are treating students like chattel. What action are you (DoE) taking against such a school to tackle this emergent situation," the court asked.
The parents of the aggrieved students claimed the school authorities had harassed their children on the non-payment of the "unauthorised fee".
The committee's report revealed "very alarming state of affairs" in the school which was harassing the students in the guise of non-payment of fee, the court said.
The government should immediately take over the school, it added.
The court in its prima facie directions ordered the institution to refrain from confining the students in the library and allow them to attend classes.
It directed against their segregation from other students or preventing them from interacting with their friends or stopping them from accessing the school's amenities.
"You should criminally prosecute the principal of the school for subjecting the students to such indignity," the court added.
The matter was over the plea of students in a pending petition of DPS in the national capital's Dwarka region.
The school moved the court in July 2024, assailing a July 18, 2024 notice of National Commission for Protection of Child Rights, directing the deputy commissioner of police to register an FIR under the Juvenile Justice (Care and Protection of Children) Act against
the school. The NCPCR direction was predicated on the expulsion of students from the school for non-payment of the increased fee, publication of their names on the school website, and the alleged failure to offer assistance to a girl student during her periods.
The court, in an interim order, previously stayed the NCPCR's notice.
While the counsel for the students claimed they were ready to pay the approved fee amount, the school's lawyer contended showcause notices were issued to the students in December last year but they failed to clear the dues till March following which they were asked not to come to the school.
The students' names were struck off from April 1, 2025, the counsel said. The school claimed only nine were in the library, while the students' counsel said 19 were present.
The DoE issued a showcause notice on April 8 and inspected the school on April 15.
The court warned against discrimination and listed the matter for May 5.
Published by HT Digital Content Services with permission from Millennium Post.