The Bench on May 30 last year had asked private schools, which had received land on concessional rates, to provide freeship to poor students. The court had pointed out that failure to do so would result in the cancellation of the lease deed.

Noting that the schools violated their assurances to the high court to allow freeship, a Bench led by Justice T S Thakur said “some people will learn only after they are sent to jail”.

The court said it would follow up the matter despite the process being cumbersome.

The outburst came after a petition filed by advocate Ashok Agarwal listing 220 complaints by parents against 52 schools, allegedly flouting the terms of their undertakings.

The bench, however, allowed the plea of some schools, including the Delhi Public School, that they be allowed to put their affidavits on record, expressing their willingness to allow poor kids join their institutions.

“Follow your own undertaking or else we will take requisite steps,” the court said, adding that all such affidavits could be filed during the day.

The court, meanwhile, asked the Directorate of Education (DoE) to speed up action against those schools, which did not file undertakings despite its order.

“The DoE is hereby directed to expedite the proceedings initiated against the schools,” it said, directing that government body to file a report on the issue.