The Punjab and Haryana high court last week granted interim relief to private schools by staying the Central Board of Secondary Education’s (CBSE) directive requiring them to allocate 3% of their annual budget for teacher training till it hears the case.

The court issued a notice to the board and ordered the stay after the Haryana Progressive Schools Conference (HPSC) challenged the April 1 circular through a petition filed earlier this month. CBSE had mandated all affiliated private schools to earmark at least 3% of their total annual expenditure for professional development and training of teachers.

The funds, the board said, could be utilised for both in-house training and external workshops or certifications, aligning with the National Education Policy (NEP) 2020’s focus on teacher development.

The petitioners contested the circular’s legal validity and clarity. They questioned CBSE’s authority to impose financial mandates on private institutions without establishing clear guidelines for fund utilisation, oversight mechanisms or accountability processes.

Senior advocate Aashish Chopra, appearing for HPSC and assisted by advocate Gagandeep Singh, presented multiple arguments. “The forced allocation of 3% funds has no statutory backing and is therefore unlawful,” the senior advocate argued during the hearing.The court agreed to examine the directive’s legality and practicality. The case will be taken up next on Oct 8, 2025. CBSE officials did not respond to requests for comment till Sunday evening.