NYT: Story based on impartial and on-the-ground reporting

New Delhi: The New York Times story on Delhi's education system was based on "an impartial and on-the-ground reporting", the American newspaper said on Friday, rejecting the paid news charge.

Requested for a clarification on the matter, the NYT's external communications director Nicole Tylor told PTI in an email, "Our report about efforts to improve Delhi's education system is based on impartial, on-the-ground reporting."

She said education is an issue that The New York Times has covered over many years.

Journalism from The New York Times is always independent, free from political or advertiser influence, she added.

On the charge that the same story was also published by the Khaleej Times, Tylor clarified, "Other news outlets routinely license and republish our coverage." On August 18, The New York Times published the story, titled 'Our children are worth it', on the front page of its international edition, highlighting the broader transformation of Delhi's education system during the Aam Aadmi Party regime and noting that the overhaul of the public schools in the capital of India has students clamouring to enroll".

Along with the story, the NYT published a picture of Sisodia with three girl students of Delhi government schools, with the caption, "Manish Sisodia, the Delhi education minister, started the overhaul by making surprise visits to schools. Now other states in India are pushing to adopt the Delhi model."