Admission row in apex court

Shri Ram, Vasant Valley say the autonomy of schools is at stake, reports Anuradha Mukherjee.

Parents who intended to send their toddlers to two of the leading schools in the Capital may have to wait. Vasant Valley and Shri Ram, both in Vasant Vihar, have decided to challenge the Delhi High Court’s order insisting upon a 100-point marking system for nursery admissions.

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The two schools are preparing to approach the Supreme Court. They have yet to announce their admission schedule.

“Shri Ram and Vasant Valley will file a special leave petition with the SC on Thursday,” said Manju Bharat Ram, chairperson of the Shri Ram Society that runs Shri Ram schools. “The high court has not even heard our objections and fixed January 17 as the next date of hearing. But it asked schools to go ahead with admissions. The 100-point system is not well thought out.” Ram said the position would become clear once the SC reopens in January and hears the case. “We will decide on the basis of what the apex court says,” she said.

Vasant Valley principal Arun Kapur confirmed her response. “This is not merely about the Ganguly panel’s suggestions,” he said. “There is a larger issue pertaining to the autonomy of private schools. We had approached the SC earlier but were told to go to the high court, which we did. Now we are back to the apex court.”

Asked if admissions would be delayed this year, Kapur said the verdict could be out in January. “The academic session starts in April,” he said. “We have time.”