9835 VACANT EWS SEATS IN NURSERY (ENTRY LEVEL CLASS) IN 1186 UNAIDED PRIVATE SCHOOLS IN 2012-13 – GOVT TOLD DELHI HIGH COURT‏

Delhi Government today informed a Division Bench of Delhi High Court headed by Acting Chief Justice A.K.Sikri that on date there are 9835 vacant seats under EWS as intimated by 1186 unaided private schools in 2012-13 session and the Government will publish this information of vacant seats within one week. The High Court directed Director of Education to complete the admission process in regard to these vacant EWS seats during the summer vacation so to enable the students to attend school on reopening of the schools in July 2012. The admission process will be conducted by the Deputy Director of Education itself and not by the schools.

The High Court has also directed the Director of Education to take decision within one month in regard to inclusion of ‘orphan child’
in the definition of ‘child belonging to disadvantaged group’ within the meaning of RTE Act, 2009 so that the orphan child also becomes eligible for admission under 25% EWS reservation.

These orders were passed while disposing of Social Jurist PIL filed through Advocate Ashok Agarwal highlighting the fact that the unaided private schools of Delhi are not complying with RTE Act provisions in regard to EWS admissions and the Delhi Government is not taking any action against any of these erring schools.

On the last date of hearing 18 04.2012 Delhi Government had informed the Court that as many as 765 erring unaided private schools have not given 25% EWS admissions in the academic year 2011-12 as was required under RTE Act, 2009 and the Government have issued show cause notices to all of them. When Social Jurist advocate Ashok Agarwal told the Court that the Schools have not informed the Directorate of Education about the vacancy position in their respective schools as on 31.03.2012 which they were obliged to do by 07.04.2012, the Court while adjourning the hearing to Friday 20 April 2012 directed the Delhi Government to inform the Court about the status of vacant seats in the schools and what steps have been taken by the Government to fill up the same.

Ashok Agarwal, Advocate
M-09811101923
20 April 2012