NGO moves HC on reservation for EWS under RTE Act

Updated on: Thursday, February 03, 2011

Delhi High Court sought response from the Centre as well as the city government on an NGO's plea opposing a reputed private school's claim that it being a minority school be exempted from providing reservation to children of economically weaker sections under the Right To Education(RTE) Act.
Justice Rajiv Sahai Endlaw issued the notice to the Ministry of HRD and the Directorate of Education, Delhi government, and sought their replies by March 30.

The court was hearing a plea by Social Jurists, an NGO, which opposed the stand taken by the Carmel Convent School and sought an order rejecting the school's argument.

Appearing for the NGO, counsel Ashok Aggarwal said "Under section 12 of the RTE Act it is obligatory for all un-aided private schools to give admission to the EWS children and the provisions relating to reservation of seats for them is in larger public interest and deserved to be upheld by this court".

"The presence of the children belonging to EWS in the private schools is not only beneficial for the under-privileged sections but also to the children of well off section," he argued.

According to the lawyer, the school had taken government land at a throw-away price with a condition that it would provide free-of-cost education to some under-privileged children but failed to comply with the condition.

He also said the High Court had in 2007 directed all private schools which have obtained government land on such condition to reserve 25 percent of the seats for children belonging to disadvantaged groups.

After hearing the argument, the court fixed March 30 as the next date of hearing.

NGO moves HC on reservation for EWS under RTE Act

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