Delhi High Court Demands Action Against Dummy Schools Enabling Fake Admissions

The Delhi High Court has expressed grave concern over the presence of "dummy schools" where students are enabled to sit for board exams without attending regular classes. A bench headed by Chief Justice D K Upadhyaya and Justice Tushar Rao Gedela termed the practice as "fraud" and asked the CBSE and the Delhi government to take appropriate action immediately.
Court's Observations and Orders:
The court observed that students spend most of their time in coaching centers instead of attending school but are still allowed to sit for exams based on fabricated attendance records. It pointed out the issue by stating:
"Such practices, based on false information, cannot be permitted. The state government and CBSE are directed to inspect these schools and take necessary action."
The court further observed that the Delhi domicile system is misused by some schools, which provide an opportunity for students from other states to claim false eligibility for quota benefits in state medical courses.
Response from Authorities
The counsel of the Delhi government denied the existence of dummy schools stating that no such complaint was on record and schools followed affiliation rules, but the court was informed about two cases wherein action had already been initiated.
The CBSE counsel admitted that more than 300 dummy schools had already been dealt with by the country.
Court Ordered Actions:
The court ordered the following actions:
Surprise inspections by the state education department to identify the dummy schools.
Information sharing between the Delhi government and CBSE on the findings to take action against such schools.
Affidavits: The two authorities are to file detailed affidavits on actions taken and any complaints received.
Petitioner's Claims:
The case originated from a PIL filed by Rajeev Aggarwal, who alleged that dummy schools provide a "virtual platform" for students to fraudulently appear as Delhi residents after passing Class 10 exams. This way, they claim seats under the Delhi state quota (DSQ) for MBBS and BDS programs, which should rightly go to bonafide Delhi residents.
Aggarwal said that this practice was causing unfair loss to local students and compromising the very fabric of the education system.
Cultural Reference:
The Delhi government counsel referred to how the issue of dummy schools had been featured in a popular web series about students preparing for exams in Kota, Rajasthan, to which the court responded, "Your department doesn't seem to have seen it."
Next Steps:
The court has called the case back for further hearing on May and expressed the need to bring accountability at the earliest before such malpractice could jeopardise the education sector.
This verdict reflects the judiciary's concern to achieve transparency and accountability in education and uphold the authorities's responsibility to remove fraudulent practices in the sector.