Delhi High Court was hearing a PIL on ‘commercialisation of education’. It sought regulation by the CBSE into transactions between education societies, especially the Delhi Public School Society. While hearing a PIL seeking enquiry and regulation by the Central Board of Secondary Education (CBSE) into transactions between education societies, especially the Delhi Public School Society (DPSS), the Delhi High Court directed the CBSE to conclude proceedings initiated against schools found violating its bylaws within six months. A division bench of Chief Justice Satish Chandra Sharma and Justice Subramonium Prasad was hearing a PIL wherein the litigants were aggrieved by the “commercialisation of education”, especially with respect to DPSS. The litigants sought directions to the CBSE to inquire into and regulate the transactions between education societies and franchise schools and, more specifically, inspect the affairs of the schools operated by DPSS. In its February 15 order, the high court held that the CBSE had been taking “stern action” from time to time which included the imposition of penalty upon defaulting schools which have violated the affiliation bylaws. “In view of the same, no further orders are required to be passed in the present PIL,” the high court held. It noted that since the litigants had alleged various irregularities with respect to DPSS, they shall be free to take recourse to the other remedies available under the law, in view of the Societies Registration Act and other statutory provisions governing the field. The high court thereafter directed, “However, CBSE is directed to conclude all proceedings which have been initiated in respect of various schools mentioned in the PIL as well as in respect of other schools which have been mentioned in the affidavits filed by the CBSE positively within a period of six months from the date of receipt of certified copy of this order.” The litigants claimed that DPSS through its chairman V K Shunglu had executed various joint venture agreements with several schools (franchisee agreements) for permitting certain other schools to use the DPS name, its logo and motto. It was argued that a large number of agreements have been executed between the DPSS and certain schools, including one with M/s Rachna Educational Society, Warangal, Andhra Pradesh, for setting up a school at Warangal, where the former has to pay Rs 12 lakh to DPSS. Another agreement has been executed with respect to Delhi Public School, Kashipur, Uttarakhand for Rs 27,57,500 and other agreements have been executed in favour of DPS, Pinjore, Haryana and DPS Allahabad, Uttar Pradesh as well, and a large number of irregularities with respect to DPSS were also alleged. The CBSE in its affidavit stated that as per the applicable bylaws, various Delhi Public Schools have been established under different trusts and societies having affiliation with the CBSE, and, their name, “per se, is not DPS but they have added names like DPS Ghaziabad and DPS Madhubani Pvt. Ltd. with a different logo”. It was stated that whenever affiliation bylaws were violated, the action was taken, like in the case of DPS, Kashipur, Uttarakhand; however, the high court of Uttarakhand issued a stay against this action. The CBSE categorically said that as and when a complaint is received, action is initiated and it shall be taking appropriate action in accordance with the law, strictly in consonance with the affiliation bylaws. In another affidavit, the Board also stated that appropriate action was initiated against schools which were found to be in violation of its extant bylaws.