New Delhi

The Delhi High Court has directed the Delhi government, the Municipal Corporation of Delhi (MCD) and the New Delhi Municipal Council (NDMC) to carry out a comprehensive, time-bound inspection of all government-run schools in the national capital to evaluate their compliance with statutory infrastructure requirements.

A Division Bench ordered that the inspection exercise be completed within four weeks and placed it under the direct oversight of the Secretary (Education), the MCD Commissioner and the NDMC Chairperson.

The court specified that the authorities must submit a consolidated report detailing the extent to which government schools meet the norms prescribed under the Right of Children to Free and Compulsory Education (RTE) Act, 2009.

These directions were issued on January 7, 2026, while hearing a public interest litigation filed by the non-profit organisation Justice For All, which had originally highlighted deficiencies in infrastructure at MCD-operated schools. The petition was argued by advocates Khagesh B. Jha and Shikha Sharma Bagga.

After hearing the submissions, the Bench widened the scope of the PIL to include all government-managed schools in Delhi. The court noted that adherence to Sections 11 and 19 of the RTE Act is mandatory for every institution providing elementary education. Authorities were accordingly instructed to gather relevant data on compliance with these statutory provisions and place a detailed status report before the court.

The Schedule to the RTE Act lays down minimum standards for schools, including adequate teaching staff in line with prescribed pupil-teacher ratios, the appointment of subject teachers and head teachers in schools with higher student strength, and essential physical facilities.

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These facilities include permanent school buildings, sufficient classrooms, separate toilet facilities, access to safe drinking water, kitchens for mid-day meal programmes and playgrounds. The court said the matter would be taken up further after the submission of the survey report.