Delhi High Court directs State to ensure private schools have functioning parent-teacher associations

The Delhi High Court has directed the government to ensure that Parent Teacher Associations (PTAs) are functional in all the private schools in the national capital [Justice For All v. Directorate of Education].

A Division Bench of Chief Justice Devendra Kumar Upadhyaya and Justice Tejas Karia issued the directive while considering a petition raising concerns over the failure of private unaided schools to constitute PTAs, thereby impacting the parents' ability to question school fee decisions

The petition was filed by a non-profit organisation, Justice For All, alleging that despite a legal mandate, PTAs are yet to be constituted in many schools.

"Issue notice. In the meantime, all necessary steps to be taken to ensure parents teacher associations are there in the schools," the Court said.

In its plea, Justice For All had pointed to a widespread disregard of education laws that require every recognised school to have an elected PTA.

The petition highlighted that without properly formed PTAs, parents lack a collective platform to engage with school management or have a say in important decisions.

“A properly constituted PTA is an integral part of the school's governance structure, essential for fostering cooperation between parents and teachers, ensuring transparency in school administration, and safeguarding the welfare of students. The absence of such a body leads to an opaque and unaccountable system, particularly in financial matters,” the plea stated.

The petition further said that the concern has gained urgency after the Delhi School Education (Transparency in Fixation and Regulation of Fees) Act, 2025, came into force, as the law places PTAs at the centre of the process for regulating school fees.

According to the petition, the Delhi School Education Act, 1973 and its rules clearly require every recognised school to set up a PTA.

It also notes that in 2010, the Directorate of Education laid down detailed guidelines calling for democratic elections to PTA executive committees every two years.

These guidelines were later upheld by the Delhi High Court in 2013, making them mandatory for both aided and unaided schools.

Despite this, the plea alleges that many schools have not followed the law in practice.

“The practice of schools hand-picking members for the PTA or its executive committee is a colourable exercise of power and a fraud on the statute, which envisages a democratic process of election to ensure genuine representation of parents,” the petition argues.

Therefore, the petitioner seeks directions from the High Court to ensure time-bound PTA elections, the creation of a monitoring mechanism to oversee the process, and to take action against schools that fail to comply with the law.

Advocate Khagesh B Jha argued the case. The petition has been filed through advocate Ankit Mann.