Not schools, but parents will have to bear the cost of air conditioning services provided to children in school, the Delhi High Court said.
The air conditioning facility is no different from other charges such as laboratory and smart class fees levied by the schools, a division bench comprising of Acting Chief Justice Manmohan and Justice Manmeet Pritam Singh Arora said.
What was the case?
The HC was hearing a PIL (public interest of litigation) seeking a direction from the Delhi Government’s Directorate of Education (DoE) to ensure that private schools do not charge extra fees for providing air conditioning service to the students in the classrooms.
Who filed the PIL?
The PIL was filed by Manish Goel who said that a private school in Delhi, where his child was studying, was charging Rs 2,000 per month for the AC facility in the classroom.
Goel, in his petition, further told the court that the obligation to provide AC to the students rests with the school management and this facility should be provided by the school from its own funds and resources.
The court dismissed the plea observing that it was not maintainable. It also noted that the school while issuing the fee receipt for the session should duly record the entry of charges for the air conditioner.
What did the Delhi HC say?
Responding to the plea, the Delhi High Court said, “The costs of air conditioning services provided to the children in the school have to be borne by the parents as it is a facility provided to the children and is no different from the other charges such as lab fee and smart class fee….”
“The parents, while selecting the school, have to be mindful of the facilities and the cost of the facilities provided to the children in the school. The financial burden of providing such facilities cannot be fastened on the school management alone,” the court said.
The court further noted that DoE is seized of the matter and is awaiting the action taken report.
“We are therefore, not inclined to entertain the present PIL and the same is dismissed,” the court ordered.
With inputs from agencies
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Who should pay for AC in your child’s classroom? You, says HC
