Mumbai: In an interim relief for 2,200 students of two schools in Uran, Jawaharlal Nehru Port Authority (JNPA) recently assured Bombay High Court it will not close down the schools by May 31.Justices Riyaz Chagla and Advait Sethna on May 7 were hearing a petition by parents of four students of Jawaharlal Nehru Port Vidyalaya, which is in English and Marathi medium.Since Aug 1991, the schools were run by Indian Education Society as per its agreement with JNPA. Thereafter, as per the July 2020 agreement for 15 years, Rustomjee Kerawalla Foundation began running the schools. In May 2025, it terminated the agreement by giving JNPA one year’s advance notice. On April 21, it issued a letter to the School Education and Sports Department and the deputy director, Education (Mumbai division), informing that from May 31 both schools shall be closed. Hence, the parents moved HC, stating that if the schools become non-operational, the future of their children as well as 2,200 others will be in serious jeopardy. The authorities seem to have turned a “blind eye” to the problem.The petition said upon receiving the termination notice last year, JNPA should have taken “positive proactive steps and not a passive approach” in protecting the right to education of 2,200 minor children. Since its inception, JNPA is under an obligation to establish a township in the vicinity of the port by providing facilities, including establishing and operating schools, “and therefore it should not be allowed to avoid performance of such legal obligation.” The parents urged HC to direct the school authorities and the Centre to ensure children’s education is not disturbed.Advocate Bhavesh Parmar, for the parents, urged HC to grant urgent reliefs to protect 2,200 children after May 31 if a new management does not take over. He said for the past one year the authorities did nothing to appoint a new management or make alternate schooling arrangements.JNPA’s advocate sought time to file a reply and place on record a letter of interest issued for taking over the management of the school. He stated that “no coercive steps” will be taken by JNPA in terms of discontinuing its school till the next date of hearing. The judges posted the petition for consideration on June 11.
