SC: Parents Can Be Legally Compelled to Provide Education Money to Daughter

A daughter holds an indefeasible, legally enforceable, and legitimate right to seek financial support for her educational expenses from her parents, who can be compelled to provide necessary funds within their financial means, the Supreme Court recently ruled.

The observations were made by a bench comprising Justices Surya Kant and Ujjal Bhuyan in a matrimonial dispute case where the estranged couple’s daughter, who is pursuing her studies in Ireland, declined to accept Rs. 43 lakh given by her father for her education. The amount was part of the total alimony being paid to her mother.
“She, being the daughter, has an indefeasible, legally enforceable, lawful, and legitimate right to secure educational expenses from her parents. All that we observe is that the daughter has a fundamental right to pursue her education, for which the parents could be compelled to provide necessary funds within the limit of their financial resources,” stated the bench in its January 2 order.

The daughter had refused the money to maintain her dignity and asked her father to take it back, but he declined. The court noted that she was legally entitled to the amount, emphasizing that the father appeared financially capable of providing assistance, as he had spent the funds without any compelling reasons.