The Delhi High Court has sought response of the AAP government and DDA on a plea seeking directions to them to ensure admission of poor kids in play schools, creches and even minority institutions running on public land.
A bench of Chief Justice G Rohini and Justice Rajiv Sahai Endlaw issued notice to the Delhi government’s directorate of education (DoE) and Delhi Development Authority (DDA) and sought their replies by May 27, the next date of hearing.
The order came on the applications of NGO Justice for All which has contended that the court’s 2014 direction, to ensure schools situated on DDA land shall admit children belonging to weaker section up to the extent of 25 per cent, was not being implemented by the DoE.
The NGO also sought a clarification from the court that its 2014 judgement is applicable to those minority schools also which are situated on public land allotted by land owing agencies.
The petitioner in its applications, filed through advocate Khagesh Jha, alleged that “barring a few schools most have either not updated their vacancy position in the Central Information Commission (CIC) module or updated incorrect information on the website”.
It has claimed that DoE “neither collected any data from the recognised unaided schools nor placed any advertisement for seats so children belonging to weaker sections can approach for admission in the school. The DoE also failed to publish complete list of schools, with addresses, which have provisions of EWS admission especially for play school”.
Appearing for the NGO, advocate Ashok Aggarwal told the court that a “list of schools which are obligated to provide admission to economically weaker section (EWS) should be made available by DoE so that parents know where to apply”.
