Bombay High Court PIL Challenges Proposed Closure of City International School in Oshiwara
A Public Interest Litigation (PIL) has been formally filed in the Bombay High Court, challenging the proposed shutdown of City International School located in Oshiwara, Mumbai. The petition urgently seeks judicial intervention to protect the academic futures of approximately 600 students whose education is now at risk due to the school's impending closure.
Core Arguments of the Petition
The PIL strongly contends that private rental disputes and financial pressures should not be allowed to override the fundamental right to education guaranteed to children under Indian law. Specifically, the petition requests one of two critical outcomes:
- A five-year extension to permit the school to continue its operations uninterrupted.
- Direct orders to relevant authorities to ensure seamless student transfers without any academic disruption or loss.
This legal action places particular emphasis on safeguarding students admitted under the Right to Education (RTE) quota, who constitute about 25% of the school's total enrollment. The plea highlights that these vulnerable students face disproportionate hardship in securing alternative admissions.
Background and Immediate Fallout
The legal move follows a February 11 email from the school management informing parents that the current academic year would be the institution's final one. Parents were advised to collect leaving certificates, triggering immediate protests outside the campus as families expressed outrage over the abrupt announcement.
"We received this devastating news barely two months ago," stated parent Adnan Kakkalmeli. "Students in critical classes like Class 9 are finding it nearly impossible to secure admissions elsewhere. The few schools still accepting applications are demanding exorbitant fees that most families cannot afford."
Parents emphasized that most educational institutions have already completed their admission processes for the upcoming academic year, leaving displaced students with severely limited options.
Root Cause: The Rental Dispute
The underlying conflict stems from the school's leased premises. According to previous reports, the annual rent was escalated from approximately Rs 35.8 lakh to Rs 55 lakh, which school management cited as the primary reason necessitating closure.
However, in a written response to earlier media inquiries, a representative of the landlord presented a different narrative. They clarified that the school has operated on a leave-and-licence basis since 2011, with eviction proceedings initiated in 2014 after the original agreement expired.
The landlord's representative stated that extensions were granted on humanitarian grounds—first until June 2023, and subsequently extended to July 2026 through consent terms. They further asserted that no rent increase has been demanded, contradicting the school management's claims about financial pressure from escalated rental costs.
This discrepancy highlights the complex nature of the dispute, with the PIL now asking the Bombay High Court to determine how to balance property rights against educational rights when nearly 600 young lives hang in the balance.
