The Punjab and Haryana high court has directed the Haryana government to ensure implementation of Rule 134-A of the Haryana School Education Rules, which says that 10% students would be admitted by recognised private schools under the economically weaker sections (EWS) quota on the schools' own expenses.
The court, while disposing of a public interest litigation filed by advocate Satbir Hooda, also directed the state government to reconstitute district-level committees to ensure implementation of the Right To Education (RTE) Act by including non-governmental organisations and some social workers. The court also said that it expected all schools to fill vacant posts of teachers to maintain teacher-pupil ratio as per the rules.
When recognised private schools stated that the state government should reimburse the fee of 10% EWS students being admitted by them, the court said schools were at liberty to challenge Haryana's rules.
Under the amended rule, recognised private schools have to reserve 10% seats for meritorious EWS students. Guidelines of the RTE Act say 25% seats should be reserved for EWS students.
The petitioner had sought enforcement of Rule 134-A and for taking action against recognised private schools, which were failing to comply with the mandate of the rules.
{{/usCountry}}The petitioner had sought enforcement of Rule 134-A and for taking action against recognised private schools, which were failing to comply with the mandate of the rules.
{{/usCountry}}Hooda had submitted that it was arbitrary on the part of the state government to reduce the EWS quota in private schools from 25% to 10%. He had informed the court that there were many cases in the state where EWS students were not getting admission in private schools.