Pune: 89 Parents File Writ Petition Against School Over Fee Hikes

Pune, 1st April 2025: A group of parents has filed a writ petition in the High Court of Judicature at Bombay challenging the fee hikes implemented by Dhruv Global School, Pune, alleging violations of the Maharashtra Educational Institutions (Regulation of Fee) Act, 2011. The petitioners, parents of children enrolled in the school, seek relief under Article 226 of the Constitution of India and demand immediate action from the authorities.

The petitioners argue that Dhruv Global School has unlawfully increased the fees through a dual escalation mechanism. According to the petitioners, the school has implemented a 15% fee hike each time a student transitions to a new grade band every two years, along with an additional 15% fee increase every two years without proper justification. As a result, the school’s cumulative fee hike for the academic year 2025-26 has surpassed the statutory limit of 15% every two years, as per the Maharashtra Educational Institutions (Regulation of Fee) Act, 2011.

The petitioners claim that the school has breached the Act by deviating from the fee structure initially declared at the time of admission. This structure is meant to be binding throughout the student’s tenure at the institution. They further allege that the school has failed to form the Executive Parents Teachers Association (EPTA), as required by the Act, rendering any decisions made by the EPTA— including the approval of fee hikes— legally unsustainable.

Another significant concern raised by the petitioners pertains to the school’s fee policy, which requires parents to pay their school fees in installments starting from March 1st each year, even though the new academic year begins on April 1st. The petitioners contend that fees should only be collected at the start of the new academic year and that penal interest on late fees should not be applicable before the academic year begins.

Despite raising their concerns with both the school management and the Deputy Director of Education, Pune, the petitioners have not received a satisfactory response. Additionally, they filed an appeal with the Divisional Fee Regulatory Committee (DFRC), but the appeal has not been addressed. The DFRC in Pune has been inactive since June 2024, when the term of the previously elected committee expired, and no new committee has been formed since then.

The petitioners have sought the following reliefs from the High Court:
A writ of mandamus directing the State of Maharashtra to constitute a DFRC and Revision Committee, as required under the Maharashtra Educational Institutions (Regulation of Fee) Act, 2011.

A writ of mandamus directing the DFRC, once constituted, to address the appeal filed by the petitioners on November 5, 2024, and initiate appropriate proceedings under the Act.

An interim order directing the school to disclose all documents related to the fee fixation for the academic year 2025-26.

An interim order restraining the school from implementing the escalated fees for 2025-26 and to collect fees according to the original fee structure provided at the time of admission.

Alternatively, a writ of mandamus directing the school to refund the excess fees collected from the petitioners from the academic years 2019-2020 to 2024-2025.
Ad-interim or interim reliefs as deemed appropriate by the court.

Any other order the court may deem fit in the interest of justice.

The petitioners argue that failure to grant these reliefs would result in irreparable harm, which cannot be compensated financially. They assert that they have a strong prima facie case for success in the writ petition.

To support their claims, the petitioners have submitted several exhibits, including minutes from the EPTA meetings, fee structures issued by the school, the ERP notification, complaints to the Deputy Director of Education, the appeal to the DFRC, legal notices sent to the school, and the RTI response regarding the status of the DFRC.

The petitioners are seeking judicial intervention to halt the unlawful fee hikes imposed by Dhruv Global School and ensure the institution’s compliance with the Maharashtra Educational Institutions (Regulation of Fee) Act, 2011. They have requested that the court instruct the relevant authorities to take appropriate action and provide relief to the affected parents.