Admit all students selected in EWS draw: Pvt schools told

NEW DELHI: The Delhi government has directed all private schools in the city to ensure that each child, whose name has been selected in the Economically Weaker Sections (EWS) draw, is granted admission.

"We have issued a fresh order to all private schools making it clear that every child, whose name has appeared under the EWS quota mandated by the Right to Education Act (RTE), must be granted admission," said an official

"The Chief Minister had received multiple reports of schools denying admission to children under EWS claiming that their seats under general category had been filled. A similar issue had cropped up last year as well. However, after raids conducted by the Education department, it was found that some schools had concealed actual enrollment so as to deny admissions to children under EWS," the official added.

Officials explained that the Delhi High Court has clarified the legal position on this matter and observed that 25 per cent of all seats of the entry-level class strength have to be reserved as EWS quota.

"The high court has upheld the Delhi government's definition of class strength: it shall not be less than the highest number of seats in the entry level class in the previous three academic years.

"The caveat added by the HC is that the Directorate of Education (DoE) has discretionary power to grant relief to a school if the DoE has verified that the school has made every effort possible to fill all general category seats," noted the official.