Abide by Delhi high court orders on EWS students, schools told

Earlier this month, the Delhi High Court said that the implementation of the Right to Education (RTE) Act at the elementary school level in the national capital is “miserable” and in “tatters”.

The Delhi government’s Directorate of Education (DoE) on Monday asked its officials to ensure that private schools in the city comply with the directives of the Delhi High Court and grant admission to students in the Economically Weaker Section/Disadvantaged Group (EWS/DG) categories by December 31.

In a directive to the secretary (education) and other officials of the DoE’s Private School Branch, Bhupesh Chaudhary, director of education, said that various provisions of the RTE Act needed to be implemented in schools in letter and spirit. (Representative image/HT Archive)

DoE officials also have been asked to prepare a compliance report of admissions under these categories.

Earlier this month, the Delhi High Court said that the implementation of the Right to Education (RTE) Act at the elementary school level in the national capital is “miserable” and in “tatters”. The court added that it “cannot remain a mute spectator to the outright bulldozing of human rights” by those imparting education.

The court’s remarks came while deciding a batch of 39 petitions by students from the economically weaker section category, who alleged that they were denied admission to private unaided schools in the Capital, despite receiving admission letters from DoE.

In a directive to the secretary (education) and other officials of the DoE’s Private School Branch, Bhupesh Chaudhary, director of education, said that various provisions of the RTE Act needed to be implemented in schools in letter and spirit. “All the allotted EWS/DG/CWSN candidates must be contacted immediately and the management of the schools should facilitate their admission by deploying proper well-oriented staff at the reception and entrance gate of the schools for such students and parents,” said Chaudhary.

Chaudhary said that the managing committee of all the private unaided recognised schools must ensure that the directions passed by the high court on December 16, regarding the admission of children in the EWS/DG/CWSN are complied with strictly failing which action against defaulter schools will be taken against relevant provisions of the Delhi School Education Rules.