The Pune education department has cancelled recognition of four schools run by the Sinhgad Technical Education Society from 1 May 2027 after finding that prolonged salary arrears had disrupted teaching and caused academic losses for students. Fresh admissions at the schools will be barred from the 2027-28 academic year, while the education department has ordered arrangements to shift existing students to other schools.
The schools named in the decision are Sinhgad Spring Dale School in Ambegaon, Sinhgad Spring Dale Public School in Vadgaon, Sinhgad City School in Kondhwa and R.M.D. Sinhgad Spring Dale School in Warje. The order was issued by the Deputy Director of Education, Pune Division, Machindranath Kadam.
Complaints about unpaid salaries for teachers at the four schools had been received by the education department. An inspection found that teachers had boycotted teaching because their wages had not been paid for several months. As a result, classes were not being conducted regularly and students were facing academic losses, according to the report on the department’s action.
The department also recorded that the salary arrears had affected the regular functioning of the schools and academic quality. The report said that the financial difficulties had contributed to a reduction in the proportion of parents paying fees, further affecting the institutions’ operations.
The society’s representative, M.S. Gaikwad, presented the institution’s position at a hearing held at the Deputy Director’s office on 20 July 2026. The society said that all four schools were operated on a self-financed basis and that the implementation of the Seventh Pay Commission for teaching and non-teaching staff had increased its financial burden.
The institution also attributed its financial difficulties to delays in receiving fees from parents. It told the hearing that reimbursement from the government for students admitted under the Right to Education Act had remained pending for the period from 2017 to 2026. The society claimed that it was owed Rs 10.5 crore in such reimbursements and argued that receiving the amount would allow it to pay teachers’ salaries.
The education department considered the institution’s financial position and its argument regarding pending RTE reimbursements. However, it held that keeping salaries unpaid, the teaching boycott and the resulting academic harm to students were serious issues. Recognition was therefore cancelled under Rules 7.1, 7.2 and 7.3 of the Secondary Schools Code.
The education officers for primary and secondary education, along with the Pune Municipal Corporation’s education chief, have been directed to arrange the students’ admission or adjustment in other schools so that their education is not disrupted. The decision will take effect from 1 May 2027, at the start of the 2027-28 academic year.
The society has been given 30 days from receiving the order to appeal against the decision before the Directorate of Secondary and Higher Secondary Education in Pune.
