In a decisive move against educational malpractice, the Delhi High Court has come down heavily on a private school operating as a "dummy" institution, barring it from conducting senior secondary classes and imposing a hefty financial penalty. The court's action on Wednesday targets the Richmondd Global School, which allegedly enrolled hundreds of students in Classes XI and XII who never attended regular classes but were on paper to remain eligible for crucial board exams.
Court's Stern Action and Financial Penalty
Justice Jyoti Singh of the Delhi High Court directed the school's management to deposit Rs 75 lakh with the court registry. This sum represents the fees charged from students who were enrolled only nominally. The court also initiated contempt of court proceedings against the school's owner and management for violating an earlier undertaking given to the judiciary.
The bench explicitly prohibited Richmondd Global School from running Classes XI and XII or admitting any new students to these grades. This order came during the hearing of petitions filed by the school and some students challenging the Central Board of Secondary Education (CBSE) decision to withdraw the institution's affiliation.
CBSE Inspection Uncovers the Ruse
The case came to light after the CBSE conducted a surprise inspection, suspecting foul play. The board found that a large number of students enrolled in the school's senior secondary classes were not attending regular sessions. Instead, it was alleged, these students were primarily taking coaching classes elsewhere but paid the school to maintain a formal enrollment. This arrangement allowed them to appear for the Class XII CBSE examinations, a crucial requirement for availing quotas in Delhi's engineering and medical colleges.
Following the inspection and subsequent findings, the CBSE took the step to withdraw the school's affiliation, prompting the legal battle.
Lifeline for 128 Students, Strict Conditions Apply
In a relief measure considering the academic future of the affected children, the High Court allowed 128 out of the 1,300 enrolled students in Classes XI and XII to be transferred to a nearby CBSE-affiliated school, James Convent Senior Secondary School in Nihal Vihar. The court directed the CBSE to open its online portal to facilitate the examination registration process for these students.
The order includes specific verification steps. A team of CBSE officials will visit Richmondd Global School on December 26 at 2:30 PM to inspect records and verify the admissions and attendance of the 128 Class XII students permitted to transfer. The school has been ordered to issue transfer certificates to these students within one week.
The students will be required to pay three months' quarter fee along with any applicable examination or late fee to the new school. The court appreciated the role of CBSE standing counsel M A Niyazi in facilitating this transfer but made it clear that this concession is an exceptional measure due to extraordinary circumstances and should not be treated as a precedent.
Preventing Future Mischief and Informing Stakeholders
To ensure transparency and prevent further confusion, the court ordered the school chairman, Nidhi Gupta, and manager, Rishabh Gupta, to file separate affidavits confirming that no further students are being admitted. Crucially, the court mandated that this information must be disseminated to students of Classes X and XI and displayed prominently on the school notice board.
This notice will explicitly inform current students that they will not be promoted to Classes XI and XII in the next academic session at Richmondd Global School, thereby preventing future enrolments under false pretenses. The court's comprehensive order aims to not only punish past violations but also safeguard students and parents from similar schemes in the future, upholding the integrity of the education system.
