The child got admission to GD Goenka School in Model Town through a centralised draw of lots. The school had sought to deny admission, saying that instead of three-four years old, the child looked eight-nine. (Representational Image)
The education department has ordered that a bone ossification test be conducted on the daughter of a rickshaw puller, who got nursery admission in a private school under the economically weaker section (EWS) category. The school approached the Directorate of Education (DoE) since it believes the child is older than her father says she is. The child’s father has opposed the test, and an education activist has also written to the department against it.
The child got admission to GD Goenka School in Model Town through a centralised draw of lots. The school had sought to deny admission, saying that instead of three-four years old, the child looked eight-nine. The father, through NGO Social Jurist, moved the Delhi High Court, wherein the DoE stated that a board will medically examine the child.
The girl’s father, Yameen, a resident of a slum in Lal Bagh, was informed by the education department that an ossification test will be conducted at Baba Saheb Ambedkar Hospital. Since Yameen is not educated, advocate Khagesh Jha wrote a letter questioning the DoE’s power to pass such an order.
“The issue is related to the fundamental rights guaranteed to the child under Article 21 of the Constitution and it is against the dignity of a child… Your office did not provide any copy of (the school’s) complaint and also failed to ask for an explanation about allegations made by the school. As per the best of my knowledge, director of education, under any law, is not empowered to take a decision for a child to subject her to an ossification test without her consent. We are also unable to understand the reason behind the ossification test, especially in such case where a valid birth certificate is with the child,” read the letter sent to the DoE.
School authorities did not comment on the matter. A DoE official claimed no such order had been issued and that “such tests are not asked to be undertaken by the Directorate”.
The complainant has also demanded that the education department provide the complaint letter submitted by the school, and a copy of the decision taken by the DoE on the ossification test.
“It is such a big thing and there are no written orders, which is very wrong. The child has been asked to go to the hospital on May 15. One can think how traumatic this is going to be for the child,” said Jha.