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The Delhi High Court on Tuesday directed Department of Education (DoE) to submit a status report in response to a PIL seeking directions to ensure the admission of students from economically weaker section (EWS), disadvantaged groups (DG) and general category in government and private schools.
The petition moved by Justice for All NGO through Advocates Khagesh Jha and Shikha Sharma Bagga highlights the issue of approximately one lakh children who applied online but either failed to secure admission through the lottery system or could not gain entry into any school. The concern raised in the plea is that these children should not be excluded from the education system and left vulnerable to child labour. The bench of Justice Manmohan and Justice Tushar Rao Gedela also asked the DoE to decide on the representation made by the petitioner NGO preferably within two weeks. Last week the court directed Directorate of Education (DoE) to decide on a representation challenging the Circular dated 11.11.2024, issued by the Director of Education, which allegedly creates separate admission timelines for children from weaker sections, disadvantaged groups, and the general category. The petition sought direction to quash the circular and urged the Delhi Government to strictly comply with the binding guidelines issued on 26.10.2022 to prevent discrimination. The petition also called for the implementation of a unified admission schedule in accordance with Section 15 of the RTE Act, 2009, and Clause 4(i) of the notification dated 7.1.2011 issued by the Lt. Governor of Delhi. The petition challenges the Director of Education's circular dated 11.11.2024, which the NGO argued undermines the principle of inclusiveness, a foundational element of the RTE Act. The plea further highlighted that the circular segregates admission timelines for the EWS category from the general category and makes EWS/DG (Disadvantaged Group) admissions contingent on the general category schedule. This practice, the petition argued, conflicts with the core objectives of the RTE Act and violates the right to education guaranteed under Article 21A of the Constitution of India. (ANI)
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