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 conduct a comprehensive, time-bound inspection of all government-run schools in the Capital to assess compliance with statutory infrastructure norms prescribed under the Right of Children to Free and Compulsory Education (RTE) Act, 2009.
A Division Bench, in its order dated January 7, 2026, mandated that the inspection exercise be completed within four weeks and placed it under the direct supervision of the Secretary (Education), the MCD Commissioner and the NDMC Chairperson. The Court made it clear that a consolidated report must be filed before it, detailing the extent to which government schools adhere to the requirements of the RTE Act.
The directions were issued during the hearing of a public interest litigation filed by non-profit organisation Justice For All, which had flagged serious concerns regarding inadequate infrastructure in schools run by the MCD. Advocates Khagesh B. Jha and Shikha Sharma Bagga appeared on behalf of the petitioner.
After considering the submissions, the Bench expanded the scope of the PIL to include all government-administered schools in Delhi. The Court observed that compliance with Sections 11 and 19 of the RTE Act is mandatory for all institutions imparting elementary education, irrespective of the authority administering them. Authorities were directed to collate comprehensive data on compliance with these provisions and submit a detailed status report after the survey.
The Court noted that the Schedule appended to the RTE Act lays down minimum standards that schools are required to meet. These include adequate teacher strength in accordance with prescribed pupil-teacher ratios, the availability of subject teachers and head teachers in schools with higher enrolment, and essential physical infrastructure.
The mandated infrastructure norms also include all-weather school buildings, sufficient classrooms, separate toilets for boys and girls, safe drinking water facilities, kitchens for the mid-day meal programme and playgrounds to support physical activity.
The Bench clarified that the matter would be taken up for further consideration after the submission of the consolidated survey report, which will form the basis for assessing the level of compliance and identifying gaps, if any, in government-run schools across the Capital.