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Economic Times
6 days ago
- Politics
- Economic Times
Student leaves Bluebells School after not paying fee for four years, now court orders parents to pay Rs 1.2 lakh with interest
Synopsis A Delhi court has ordered a parent to pay ₹1.2 lakh in pending school fees, even as the state government tables a bill to regulate private school fee hikes. The Delhi School Education (Transparency in Fixation and Regulation of Fees) Bill, 2025 aims to curb arbitrary increases and involve parents in decision-making. Critics, including AAP and parent bodies, say the bill fails to protect families and gives more power to school managements. The legislation has stirred sharp debate both inside and outside the Assembly. Agencies high nursersy school fee A civil court in Delhi has directed a father to clear outstanding school fees amounting to over ₹1.2 lakh, with 10 percent interest. The student had attended Bluebells School International in south Delhi. Civil Judge Yashu Khurana said the suit filed by the school went unchallenged, as the parent, Virender Rana, did not appear to contest it. 'The case of the school stands duly proved by virtue of unchallenged suit and the documents placed on record,' said Advocate Atul Jain, appearing for the school told the court that the father had failed to pay fees across four academic years: 2017-18, 2018-19, 2019-20 and 2020-21. The student eventually left the school in 2022 while in Class VII. In its plea, the school submitted that Rana 'under the shield of the directorate of education order dated Aug 1, 2018, regarding the fee structure of the school for the year 2017-18 and in the guise of the fact that the issue regarding the same was sub judice before Delhi High Court, long delayed the payment of the dues.'The school also argued that it relied entirely on parental fees to function. The judge observed, 'Perusal of the record shows that the present suit was filed on Oct 16, 2024, whereas the cause of action last arose upon the plaintiff on Feb 7, 2024, when the defendant made the last payment against the outstanding amount.'On the same day that this ruling gained attention, Delhi Education Minister Ashish Sood presented a new bill in the Assembly aimed at regulating private school fees. The Delhi School Education (Transparency in Fixation and Regulation of Fees) Bill, 2025, introduced during the Monsoon Session, promises to bring more oversight to how private unaided schools set and raise their fees.'Education is not a thing to be sold. This bill aims to halt the commercialisation of education. We are bringing the bill to take action against those mafias who are selling education,' said draft legislation, which had received Cabinet approval in April, covers all 1,677 private unaided schools in the proposes structural changes, including a grievance redressal system, caps on fee increases, parent representation in decisions, and penalties of up to ₹10 lakh for violations. Sood called it a 'permanent solution to a long-ignored issue that affects millions of parents and children in Delhi.'He also added, 'This bill is a small effort on our part to honour Dr. Mukherjee's vision and to ensure that education does not become a burden on the people of India, but instead becomes a path leading them to a better future.'The new bill introduces a three-tier regulatory framework meant to vet fee hike proposals and resolve private school must form a committee by 15 July each year. It will include five randomly selected parents from the Parent-Teacher Association, with at least two women and one member from SC, ST or other backward communities. A representative from the Directorate of Education (DoE) will also be on the panel, which is chaired by a school management must submit their fee proposal to this committee by 31 July. If approved by 15 September, that fee structure stays fixed for the next three academic if at least 15 percent of the school's parents disagree, they can escalate the matter to the district-level appellate committee by 30 committee will examine disputes and must deliver a decision within 45 days. If the conflict is unresolved, the final appeal lies with the Revision highest-tier body will give binding rulings that will remain valid for three years. According to Section 8 of the bill, criteria for setting fees will include the school's location, infrastructure, staff salaries and revenue 12 sets the penalties. An unauthorised fee hike could attract a fine between ₹1 lakh and ₹10 lakh, doubling every 20 days until compliance. Persistent offenders may be forced to refund overcharged fees and could lose school Delhi government argues that the bill will increase transparency and curb profiteering. It mandates schools to submit audited financials and infrastructure costs before proposing any fee hike. It also allows the Director of Education to order fee rollbacks and refunds if the hike is deemed many parents and political opponents remain of Opposition Atishi has strongly criticised the bill. 'After letting private schools hike fees unchecked for four months, the BJP now brings a sham bill that hands control to school owners, blocks parent voices, and protects profiteers,' she Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) has demanded that the bill be referred to a Select Committee and that all fee hikes for the 2024–25 academic year be frozen. Atishi also pointed out that introducing the bill after the academic session had already started allowed schools time to raise fees without parents' groups have raised questions about the bill's design. The biggest concern revolves around the 15 percent threshold required to challenge a school's fee decision. Critics argue that this is an unrealistically high bar and effectively prevents parents from raising objections.'Requiring a minimum of 15 percent of a school's parents to challenge the school-level Fee Regulatory Committee's decision before the district committee is nearly impossible. It effectively denies parents the right to contest arbitrary fee hikes,' said Ashok Agarwal, chairperson of the All India Parents Association, speaking to The worry about the selection process for the parent members on the committee. Some feel it opens the door to tokenism and weakens true bill does attempt to set clear limits: Schools can raise fees only once per academic year with prior approval They must disclose financial and operational data A three-stage complaints system is now in place Penalties are defined and severe for unauthorised hikes But gaps remain. There are no provisions to freeze current hikes, no retrospective control over hikes already enforced this year, and no strong deterrent against non-tuition charges. The school-led committees may also lack the independence needed for fair the bill does not provide safeguards for students who may face expulsion due to fee Delhi School Education (Transparency in Fixation and Regulation of Fees) Bill, 2025 is a long-awaited intervention in a space that has seen little regulation. It proposes systems where there were none. It talks about participation where decisions were once the big question is whether it does enough. For many parents, the answer may depend not just on the text of the law, but on how it plays out in classrooms, fee counters and committee court's ruling against Virender Rana is a timely reminder of the pressure many families face. The challenge for lawmakers now is to ensure that regulation means real relief, not just another layer of red tape.
Indian Express
7 days ago
- Business
- Indian Express
Delhi: Pay Rs 1.2 lakh to clear outstanding fee, court tells parent as pvt school claims financial situation jeopardised
A Delhi court recently directed a man to pay Rs 1.21 lakh to a private school in the city as the outstanding fee for his child. The Judge was hearing a suit filed by Bluebells International School, which was the defendant for the recovery of the school fee of one of its students. The school had argued that the parent, the plaintiff, was under a legal obligation to make timely and regular payments of the fees. 'Present suit has been filed on October 16, 2024, whereas the cause of action last arose upon the plaintiff on February 7, 2024, when the defendant made the last payment against the outstanding amount,' the court noted in its order dated July 23. 'In view of the foregoing reasons, the present suit is decreed in favour of the plaintiff and against the defendant. The plaintiff is held entitled to recover from the defendant a sum of Rs.1,21,418/- alongwith interest @ 10% per annum from the date of institution of the suit till the realisation of the suit amount,' said Civil Judge Yashu Khurana of Saket Court. It was also argued that the parent had not cleared the dues despite repeated requests and reminders. Stating that its financial situation was being jeopardised, the school also told the court that a legal notice dated May 31, 2024 was issued to the parent. The order comes at a time when the Delhi government has introduced a Bill to regulate fee hikes by private schools in the Assembly amid the ongoing Monsoon Session. The Bill, which has come in the backdrop of protests by parents against arbitrary hikes by private schools, imposes strict penalties on schools that hike fees in an arbitrary manner. Schools will face fines ranging from Rs 1 lakh to Rs 5 lakh for the first time offences and Rs 2 to 10 lakh for repeat violations. Repeat violations may also lead to a loss of the right to increase fees in the future.
Time of India
04-08-2025
- Time of India
Pay 1.2-lakh school fee with interest: Court
New Delhi: A Delhi court recently directed the father of a student at a private school in south Delhi to pay a pending fee of Rs 1.2 lakh with 10% interest. The court of civil judge Yashu Khurana observed that the father of the student did not appear to contest the suit filed by the school, and it remained uncontroverted and unrebutted. The judge was hearing a suit filed by the defendant, Bluebells School International, against Virender Rana for the recovery of the amount of over Rs 1.2 lakh, which was due as school fees for his ward. The school approached the court, stating that it is entirely dependent on the fees paid by the parents to meet its expenses and maintain high standards of education. The school presented evidence before the court, stating that the father did not pay the fees for four years: 2017-18, 2018-19, 2019-20 and 2020-21. The child left the school in 2022 while he was in the Class VII. You Can Also Check: Delhi AQI | Weather in Delhi | Bank Holidays in Delhi | Public Holidays in Delhi Advocate Atul Jain, counsel for the school, submitted that the case of the school stands duly proved by virtue of unchallenged suit and the documents placed on record. In its plea, the school said that Rana, "under the shield of the directorate of education order dated Aug 1, 2018, regarding the fee structure of the school for the year 2017-18 and in the guise of the fact that the issue regarding the same was sub judice before Delhi High Court, long delayed the payment of the dues." The court, noting the school's submission that the delay in payment jeopardised its financial situation, said, "Perusal of the record shows that the present suit was filed on Oct 16, 2024, whereas the cause of action last arose upon the plaintiff on Feb 7, 2024, when the defendant made the last payment against the outstanding amount."
Hans India
04-08-2025
- Business
- Hans India
Delhi court asks child's father to clear over Rs 1.21 lakh school dues
New Delhi: A Delhi court has directed a man to pay over Rs 1.21 lakh as outstanding fee for his child to a south Delhi international school. Civil judge Yashu Khurana was hearing a suit filed by the defendant Bluebells School International against the plaintiff Virender Rana for recovery of the amount of over Rs 1.21 lakh, which was due as school fee for his ward. In an order dated July 23, the court said the school alleged that Rana "under the shield of the directorate of education (DoE) order dated August 1, 2018, regarding the the fee structure of the school for the year 2017-18 and in guise of the fact that the issue regarding the same was sub judice before the Delhi High Court, long delayed the payment of the dues". The school submitted due to the delay in the payment, its financial situation was "jeopardised". "Present suit has been filed on October 16, 2024, whereas the cause of action last arose upon the plaintiff on February 7, 2024, when the defendant made the last payment against the outstanding amount," the court said. As Rana did not appear before the court, the order said, the school's submissions remained uncontroverted and unrebutted. The court decreed the suit in the school's favour and directed Rana to pay the outstanding principal amount of over Rs 1.21 lakh along with 10 per cent interest.
News18
04-08-2025
- Business
- News18
Delhi court asks childs father to clear over Rs 1.21 lakh school dues
Agency: PTI Last Updated: New Delhi, Aug 4 (PTI) A Delhi court has directed a man to pay over Rs 1.21 lakh as outstanding fee for his child to a south Delhi international school. Civil judge Yashu Khurana was hearing a suit filed by the defendant Bluebells School International against the plaintiff Virender Rana for recovery of the amount of over Rs 1.21 lakh, which was due as school fee for his ward. In an order dated July 23, the court said the school alleged that Rana 'under the shield of the directorate of education (DoE) order dated August 1, 2018, regarding the the fee structure of the school for the year 2017-18 and in guise of the fact that the issue regarding the same was sub judice before the Delhi High Court, long delayed the payment of the dues". The school submitted due to the delay in the payment, its financial situation was 'jeopardised". 'Present suit has been filed on October 16, 2024, whereas the cause of action last arose upon the plaintiff on February 7, 2024, when the defendant made the last payment against the outstanding amount," the court said. As Rana did not appear before the court, the order said, the school's submissions remained uncontroverted and unrebutted. The court decreed the suit in the school's favour and directed Rana to pay the outstanding principal amount of over Rs 1.21 lakh along with 10 per cent interest. PTI MNR MNR AMK AMK (This story has not been edited by News18 staff and is published from a syndicated news agency feed - PTI) view comments First Published: August 04, 2025, 18:45 IST Disclaimer: Comments reflect users' views, not News18's. Please keep discussions respectful and constructive. Abusive, defamatory, or illegal comments will be removed. News18 may disable any comment at its discretion. By posting, you agree to our Terms of Use and Privacy Policy.
