Delhi High Court has taken action against the Delhi Government and two schools for denying admission to a student in the Economically Weaker Section (EWS) category despite being selected in a lucky draw. The court issued notices to the Delhi Government, the Education Department, and the two schools, R D Rajpal Public School and Paramount International School.
The court has asked the schools to provide an affidavit signed by their principals explaining why admission was not granted even though the Department of Education had conducted a lucky draw and allocated a seat to the student. In response to a plea filed by Ashok Kumar, the court directed both schools to submit their affidavits detailing the reason for the denial of admission to the petitioner’s child, despite being selected in the lucky draw.
The court further granted the petitioner’s request and ordered Paramount School to reserve a seat for the petitioner’s child. The matter will be heard again on August 24.
The petitioner, Ashok Kumar, expressed his dissatisfaction with the denial of admission to his child by the respective schools, despite being allotted a seat in the EWS/DG category for the 2022-23 session. According to the petition, the petitioner applied for admission to R.D. Public School, and his child was selected in the second list/round of the draw conducted by the Education Department. However, the school authorities denied admission when the petitioner approached them.
The petitioner then lodged a complaint with the local MLA, who forwarded it to the Deputy Director of Education, but no action has been taken yet. In another round of the draw, the petitioner’s child was allotted R.D. Rajpal Public School, but once again, admission was denied by the school. The petitioner escalated the issue to the office of the Deputy Chief Minister, but no resolution was provided.
Finally, another school, Paramount International School, was allotted to the petitioner’s child. However, the school also denied admission. Despite several letters written to both schools, the petitioner has not received any information regarding the reason for the denial of admission.
The Delhi High Court’s intervention and issuance of notices to the Delhi Government and the schools have brought attention to the issue of denial of admission to students in the EWS category despite the lucky draw. The court’s call for affidavits from the school principals aims to uncover the reasons behind the unjust denial.
The court’s decision to reserve a seat for the petitioner’s child in Paramount School reflects the urgency to rectify the situation and ensure that deserving students in the EWS category are not deprived of education opportunities.
This case highlights the importance of adhering to the guidelines and regulations set by the Department of Education in the admission process. The Delhi High Court’s involvement serves as a reminder to educational institutions and authorities to prioritize equal opportunities for students in all categories, including economically weaker sections, and avoid any form of discrimination in the admission process.
The court’s upcoming hearing on August 24 will provide a platform for further examination of the matter, and it is expected that appropriate action will be taken to address the denial of admission and prevent such incidents from occurring in the future.