Delhi HC: Pvt schools must admit students on transparent, fair criteria

The Delhi high court on Wednesday observed that private schools have to be transparent, identifiable, and reasonable while exercising their right to admit students of their choice. The court thus granted relief to a boy who sought admission to a private school in Class 1 and granted him marks under the sibling criteria without insisting on the fee slip of the sibling as proof of being a student in the same school.

Justice Mini Pushkarna said that even though a school has autonomy in matters of admission under the general quota and can devise its own criteria for admission, the criteria have to be “reasonable, rational, and non-discriminatory.”

Meanwhile, the Delhi government sent showcause notices to 12 private schools for allegedly purchasing books and uniforms from specific vendors and flouting guidelines of the Directorate of Education (DoE), government officials said on Wednesday. An inquiry has also been ordered against six other schools.

Education minister Atishi said that she was personally monitoring the complaints received from parents. “Notices have been sent to the schools concerned asking them to explain why the parents have complained. Additionally, an investigation is also being carried out by the DoE. If any violations of guidelines are found, action will be taken against these schools under the relevant provisions of the Delhi School Education Act, 1973,” said Atishi.

Delhi government has, in the past, issued orders to private schools asking them not to force parents to buy expensive books and uniforms from the school or specific vendors. As per DoE’s order, since private schools were run by trusts/societies on a no-profit no-loss basis, schools had “no scope of profit and commercialisation”.

As per DoE rules, private schools must provide parents the liberty to purchase books/writing materials and uniforms from any place of their choice.