Court?s relief for pvt schools

In a major relief to private unaided schools in the Capital, the Delhi High Court on Friday said they cannot be forced to reserve 25 per cent seats for students belonging to social and economically weaker sections and provide them free education.

In a major relief to private unaided schools in the Capital, the Delhi High Court on Friday said they cannot be forced to reserve 25 per cent seats for students belonging to social and economically weaker sections and provide them free education.

The court, however, said it was mandatory for the 361 schools, which availed of land at a concessional rate from the government to follow the policy and asked them to take a decision in this regard within six weeks.

A government-appointed panel headed by NCERT chairman Krishna Kumar had recently recommended that the freeship quota should be applied 'uniformly.'

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SMART BOX

What the court said • Private schools cannot be forced to reserve seats for underprivileged students • But compulsory for the 361 schools which bought land at concessional rate  to allow the quota policy • These schools have to take a decision within six weeks

The committee said all unaided recognised private schools should also earmark seats for poor students as a "radical measure towards systemic reform in the educational sector and consistent with the long-term goals.”

To build confidence in schools regarding the viability of the policy, the panel had asked the government to bear all additional expenditure incurred in this regard. But the schools were apprehensive about the recommendations.

Giving them a 'last chance', the court warned that the Bench would be compelled to 'pass adverse orders' against them if they do not make up their mind in this regard within two weeks.