Delhi HC Orders Govt to De-Seal Two Apeejay School Premises

The schools were reportedly issued notices after they had “increased fees illegally” during COVID-19 lockdown.

The Delhi High Court has ordered the de-sealing of the two Apeejay school branches in Sheikh Sarai and Saket. The sealing was done by the Delhi government because the school had allegedly violated fee norms issued by the Department of Education during the coronavirus crisis. The HC has said the premises must be de-sealed immediately because the schools were not given a show-cause notice, nor was their side heard.

The government had filed an FIR against the management or the operating heads of Apeejay School – the institution in question.

According to the report, the Saket and Panchsheel Park (Sheikh Sarai) branches of Apeejay School were issued notices after they had “increased fees illegally” without taking into cognisance fee norms during the COVID-19 lockdown into consideration.

“Flouting the instructions, the schools have hiked the fees despite the enforcement of Disaster Management Act, 2005, and Delhi Epidemic Diseases, COVID-19 regulations, 2020, under the Epidemic Diseases Act 1897, for prevention and containment of COVID-19 and also without compliance of the mandatory provisions of Delhi Education Act, 1973.” 

The Official Told PTI

Following repeated requests from parents, the Delhi government had ordered schools to charge tuition fee only, while instructing them to charge development and other non-tuition fee heads on a rota basis.

School’s Response

Reacting to the Delhi government's charge, the Principal of Apeejay School, Panchsheel Park, said that the school had all the required approval from DOE and didn’t force any parent.

“Regarding fees, all actions of our school are in conformity with communications received from the Directorate of Education. We have all requisite approvals from DOE to charge AY 2019-20 fee. We have certainly not forced or harassed our parents to pay the fee. In fact, we held out a helping hand to those in need, with scholarships. Almost 100 percent parents of Apeejay School, Panchsheel Park have paid the AY 2019-20 fee, voluntarily and majority have also paid the present monthly tuition fee,” Principal of Apeejay School, Panchsheel Park, said.