MCD to check on schools not admitting poor children

MCD’s education department has received several complaints alleging that a number of schools are not admitting students from the economically weaker sections (EWS), saying the seats are full. Neelam Pandey reports.

MCD’s education department has received several complaints alleging that a number of schools are not admitting students from the economically weaker sections (EWS), saying the seats are full.

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There are 757 schools recognised by the Municipal Corporation of Delhi (MCD) -— a number of which are violating the RTI guidelines, which makes it mandatory for schools to reserve 25% of its seats for children belonging to the EWS.

The civic agency has now asked its education department to inspect these schools, and initiate action, including derecognition, against those found guilty.

“Several parents met me personally complaining that a number of schools have not been giving admission to their children. Some of these are posh schools in south Delhi that have got land from the DDA at cheap prices but are not fulfilling the RTI guidelines. We will be taking strict action against them,” said Mahender Nagpal, chairman of MCD's education committee.

“We have already sent two notices to schools asking them to give us details of the students that they have admitted under the EWS category. A survey will be carried out after February 15, which is the last date for admitting students from EWS. We will prosecute the authorities found guilty,” Nagpal said.