Fight Against Unfair School Fees and Illegal TC Withholding
Schools often hold Transfer Certificates hostage or hike fees arbitrarily to bully parents. You have the legal right to fight back against this exploitation and secure your child's education.
A classic case of exploitation. These two sisters, Muskan and Bushra, are stuck. Their old private school won't issue a TC without fee payment, and the government school won't admit them without a TC. This is illegal, and I am helping them fight it.
Priya, a student from a government school, makes a heartfelt request. Her father is a street vendor with no work, and the school is demanding board examination fees. No student should have to worry about fees when their family is struggling to survive.
Sudha Jha, National Vice President of AIPA, highlights the plight of over 3 lakh government school students in Delhi who cannot afford the CBSE examination fees due to the pandemic's financial impact. We are appealing for support to ensure no child misses their exams.
A widow who lost her husband to Covid makes a powerful point to the government. Instead of inadequate compensation, she asks for a respectable job to support her children's education herself. This is a demand for dignity, not charity.
About Fighting Unfair Fees & Illegal Practices
Private schools often hold a Transfer Certificate (TC) hostage because of a fee dispute, but this is entirely illegal. No school in Delhi can stop your child from joining a new institution simply because you have not paid every penny of a disputed charge. If you are stuck in this deadlock, do not wait for the school to change its mind; you need to send a formal legal notice immediately to force their hand and protect your child's academic year.
Schools often rely on the fact that parents are afraid to challenge them. They count on your fear to enforce arbitrary fee hikes or withhold essential documents like your child's TC.
Why the Law is on Your Side
Under the Delhi School Education Act and the RTE Act, a school cannot hold a student's records hostage to settle a fee grievance. If a dispute exists, it must be resolved through proper channels, not by destroying a child's future.
My Approach to the Fight
When I take up a case, I do not send polite letters. I issue formal legal notices on my letterhead, which signals to the school administration that they are dealing with a lawyer who knows the law. This creates an immediate paper trail and puts the school on the defensive.
If they do not comply, we take the matter to the Delhi High Court. Filing a writ petition is a powerful tool to ensure the management respects your rights. Whether you are dealing with:
- Illegal withholding of a Transfer Certificate
- Arbitrary school fee hikes
- Denied admission for EWS or disabled students
There is a way to stop this. Do not let them intimidate you. Ladoge tabhi toh milega (Only by fighting will you get what is yours). I am here to help you draft the right notice or file the necessary petition to put an end to this shoshan (exploitation).
Ashok Agarwal
I am Ashok Agarwal, and I have spent four decades fighting these battles in the Delhi High Court and Supreme Court. I do not see these cases as mere paperwork; I see them as fundamental rights being denied. My office works to ensure that no school management puts their commercial interests above a child's right to study.
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