Delhi HC questions non-refund of excess fees by pvt schools

New Delhi: The Delhi high court on Wednesday asked the AAP government why it had not taken action against the private unaided schools which had not refunded the excess fees charged by them, citing implementation of the 6th pay commission, despite a court-appointed panel’s recommendation to return the money.

The court said it had passed an order seven years ago for refunding of excess fee collected by the schools to the parents but it had not been done yet.

It said the schools had collected the money several years ago but no benefit was rendered to the parents as they had not even received back the principal amount paid by them to the schools.

A 2-judge bench issued notice to the Delhi gover-nment on a plea for atta-ching bank accounts of errant schools and sought its response by July 23.

“The Directorate of Education shall file a detailed affidavit on the steps that it has taken and proposes to undertake in the averments made in the case in six weeks,” the court said.   

The order came on an application moved by an NGO, Delhi Abhikbhavak Mahasangh, seeking directions to the Delhi government to attach bank accounts of 457 unaided private schools which had not refunded the excess fees charged from parents as recommended by the Justice Anil Dev Singh Committee in 2011.

The NGO, represented by advocate Ashok Agarwal, has also sought that the excess fees deposited in court by 118 schools, which challenged the recommendations, be released to the parents.

During the hearing, the bench observed that imparting educating was a spiritual function and added the relief would be for all the parents and not only for those who have approached the court.