Pune: Bombay High Court Slams Dhruv Global School Over Alleged Illegal Fee Hike, Demands Explanation
Pune: Supreme Court Bars Dhruv Global School From Hiking Fees Until DFRC Is Reconstituted
In a significant development, the Bombay High Court has issued a stinging notice to Dhruv Global School, Sus-Nande branch owned by Mr. Sanjay Malpani following a writ petition filed by 89 outraged parents (whereas more than 500 parents signed the formal letter digitally) accusing the institution of enforcing a blatantly unjust and unlawful fee hike for the academic year 2025–26. The court has demanded that the school immediately produce all documents and records justifying its fee structure.
Shockingly, the school failed to appear during the hearing, raising serious questions about its accountability and transparency. The matter is now scheduled for a crucial hearing on April 15.
In their petition, the parents have called upon the court to compel the Maharashtra government to reconstitute the Divisional Fee Regulatory Committee (DFRC)—the official body designated to resolve such disputes under Section 7 of the Maharashtra Educational Institutions (Regulation of Fees) Act, 2011. The DFRC in Pune has remained defunct since June 2024, and no effort has been made by the government to reconstitute it, leaving thousands of parents without any legal recourse.
The controversy erupted after parents received a sudden notification via email and the school’s ERP platform on September 6, 2024, outlining a new fee structure allegedly approved during a closed-door EPTA meeting on August 31. According to the petitioners, Dhruv Global School has been exploiting loopholes to unlawfully impose a 15% hike every two years per grade band—without applying this rule transparently or fairly to existing students.
Parents argue that the school has adopted a misleading fee policy, where an already inflated “declared” fee structure is further padded with additional, undeclared hikes, creating excessive financial pressure on families. This, they claim, is a clear violation of the law and a breach of public trust. On the other hand, other schools in the same vicinity are following the government rules, how can Dhruv Global School, Sus-Nande branch School simply ignore it.
Further adding to parental distress, the school allegedly demands payment of the new year’s fees starting March 1—an entire month before the session begins on April 1. Any delay is met with exorbitant penalties of ₹10 per day for 15 days, followed by a steep ₹100 per day thereafter, effectively penalizing parents into submission.
One parent, Bhanu Sinha, told Pune Pulse
“The school is blatantly violating Section 3 of the Maharashtra Educational Institutions Act. They’ve turned education into a business, and it’s driving away bright, deserving students. This cannot be allowed to continue.”
In a final act of bureaucratic neglect, parents filed an RTI application to inquire about the DFRC’s status—only to receive a vague and evasive response: “data not available.” With no accountability from the authorities, the parents were forced to escalate the matter to the High Court in pursuit of justice.
This case exposes not just the school’s alleged misconduct but also a larger systemic failure—from the school’s administration to the government’s apathy. The April 15 hearing could mark a turning point for educational accountability in Pune.
