Admission to higher classes inherent right of govt school pass-outs: Chandigarh admn to HC

Defending its move, the Chandigarh administration said similar system of first offering seats to students of pass-outs from own schools was being followed by Delhi schools and Kendriya Vidyalaya Sanganthan.

The Chandigarh administration has told the Punjab and Haryana high court that retention of 85% of total seats in Class 11 for students passing out from city’s government schools can’t be termed as a case of “institutional discrimination” or reservation, as it is a natural progression for students wanting to study further.

Chandigarh administration’s response came on a plea from a student, Swiyyahdeep Kaur, who completed Class 10 from St Stephen’s School, Sector 45, a school up to Class 10. (Getty Images/iStockphoto)

“...(it) is actually not reservation in strict sense, the same is only retaining seats in Class 11 of government schools of Chandigarh for allowing the Class 10 pass-outs of government schools…it is in fact also an inherent right to continue studies in the higher class of a student who...is a pass-out of Class 10 from a government school of Chandigarh,” the reply submitted by the UT says.

UT’s response came on a plea from a student, Swiyyahdeep Kaur, who completed Class 10 from St Stephen’s School, Sector 45, a school up to Class 10. She had challenged UT’s decision to reserve 85% seats in UT-run schools for students with matriculation from government schools.

Acting on her plea, the high court in June had ordered that “admissions to Class 11 will be subject to the decision of the present writ petition”.

UT said the aspirants for Class 11 in Chandigarh’s government schools not only come from city’s private schools but also from Punjab, Haryana and other places. Therefore, the number of aspirants far outnumber the seats available.

In 2022, some of the Class 10 pass-outs from Chandigarh’s government schools could not get admission in Class 11 and subsequently, a special drive was carried out in October to ensure admission to these students.

As many as 2,430 students opted for admissions through the said drive, it said, adding that this year, 11,794 students from city’s government schools had appeared for Class 10 exams. There are 42 government senior secondary schools in city with 13,875 seats in Class 11.

Defending its move, the UT said similar system of first offering seats to students of pass-outs from own schools was being followed by Delhi schools and Kendriya Vidyalaya Sanganthan. The department will now undertake further rounds of counselling to fill up current vacant seats and seats becoming vacant on account of students not joining the course, it said.

It further added that there was no illegality in retaining 85% seats for students from government schools. Even private schools give preference for admission in Class 11 to their students. The matter will now be taken up for hearing on July 6.