Delhi: Budget private schools association raises concern over directive to admit all allotted EWS candidates, CWSN

In a recent notification, the DoE observed that some private schools are not granting admissions to EWS and CWSN candidates citing fewer admissions in their general seats and ordered that “all Private schools are bound to grant admissions to all eligible EWS/DG & CWSN selected/allotted candidates irrespective of lesser general admissions”.

In a statement, the Delhi State Public Schools’ Management Association has said, “If the order is to be followed, the proportion of the EWS/DG students will be more than the general category. We have not been able to fill the general category seats because of which we are facing a financial burden.”

According to the Right to Education Act, schools are supposed to reserve admissions to 25 per cent of the declared strength of their entry-level classes for these categories. Schools usually implement it by admitting one student from their allotted list after three general admissions. Schools across the city were hit with a drop in their general admissions last year due to the economic distress caused by the Covid-19 pandemic.

Complaints of EWS and CWSN candidates allotted private schools through the draw of lots being denied admission on this ground were rampant. Because of this, the government had announced that schools would have to admit all allotted candidates regardless of general admissions, and the issue has cropped up this year as well.