The Delhi high court has asked the Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) government and private schools to submit the names of experts for selecting the head of a panel to work out modalities of providing free study material and uniforms to poor children in private and government schools.
A Bench of justices BD Ahmed and Siddharth Mridul asked both the Delhi government and private schools to suggest names of experts from the field of education also having administrative experience, who could be made part of the committee. “Our intention is clear. What we want is that students of EWS or of disadvantage group should be brought at par with the students of affluent class by giving them free books and uniforms,” the Bench said.
Delhi government counsel Rahul Mehra and counsel for private schools suggested some names of experts in compliance with the earlier order of the court but all were rejected by the bench. “We want name of some educationist, who could effectively head the panel and suggest the modalities of providing free study material and uniforms to poor children in schools,” the Bench said.
The Bench gave one week to both the government and private schools to come up with the panel of names and posted the matter for further hearing on February 12.
On January 29, the court had decided to set up a panel to work out the modalities of providing free study material and uniforms to poor children in private and government schools in the Capital. It had said that the committee would also monitor if free books and uniforms were being provided to EWS students.