All private schools in the Capital that have been given land at a concessional rate will now have to reserve 20 per cent seats for children from poor families.
The Delhi School Education Order, 2006, notified on January 25, makes it mandatory for all these schools, aided or unaided, to provide freeship to such students.
The notification is in pursuance of a Delhi High Court order passed on December 12, 2006. The lease of land to any such school can be cancelled in case the order is not complied with.
However, the school authorities are unhappy with the order, saying it will be difficult for them to reserve seats for poor children due to various reasons.
One of the main reasons cited is that the children from underprivileged families will not be able to gel with the environment in their schools.
"These students won't be able to cope and that is going to affect the result," said R P Mallick, chairman, Federation of Public Schools.
The schools are considering the option of moving the Supreme Court. "We are taking legal advice,” said Madhulika Sen, Principal, Tagore International.
