Delhi HC stays CBSE order withdrawing affiliation of South Delhi's private school

The Delhi High Court has put on hold a CBSE order to withdraw the affiliation of a private aided recognized school in South Delhi. 

The Delhi High Court has put on hold a Central Board of Secondary Education (CBSE) order withdrawing the provisional affiliation of a private unaided recognized school running from a resettlement colony in south Delhi.

A notice has also been issued in this regard by Justice Rekha Palli to the CBSE seeking its response by May 26, the next date of hearing, on Mt Columbus school’s plea challenging the March 16 order withdrawing affiliation.

The court stayed the March 16 order of CBSE, saying when it had agreed to conduct a fresh inspection of the school, it should not have taken a decision based on its earlier inspection report.

Advocate Amit Bansal, who is representing CBSE, told the court that amid the ongoing coronavirus lockdown, it is not in a position to access the records to check if any fresh inspection was carried out or not.

“Keeping in view the aforesaid stand of the respondent and the admitted position that it was the respondent itself which had agreed for a fresh inspection vide its order dated August 2, 2019, in my view the impugned order prima facie appears to be unsustainable.

“Irreparable hardship and prejudice will be caused not only to the petitioners but also to the students of the petitioner (school), in case, the operation of the impugned order does not stay. Accordingly, the operation of the impugned order dated March 16 will remain stayed till the next date,” the judge said.

Advocate Kamal Gupta, representing the  Mt Columbus school, Dakshinpuri in south Delhi told the court that the CBSE decision was based on its inspection report of 2017.