Delhi High Court seeks reply of AAP government over denial of admissions in school

NEW DELHI: The Delhi High Court has sought reply of the AAP government on a PIL alleging denial of admission to children of Kapsahera area here by government schools and suggested it could consider "mohalla education" like its "mohalla clinics" scheme.

A bench comprising Acting Chief Justice Gita Mittal and Justice C Hari Shankar issued notice to the Delhi Directorate of Education and fixed the matter for further hearing on September 22.

The Delhi Directorate of Education is the department under the education ministry of Delhi Government that manages the city's public school system.

The court said the government should facilitate the admission of students and sought a status report on the matter.

"Like you (Delhi government) have mohalla clinics, do mohalla education," the bench said.

The AAP government's mohalla clinics schemes aims to provide accessible healthcare to people in their neighbourhood..

The plea, filed by the parents of a group of 35 aggrieved students, through advocate Ashok Agarwal claimed that the children in the age group of 6 to 14 have been denied admission by Delhi Government schools nearby their residence in utter violation of the provisions of Right of Children to free and Compulsory Education Act, 2009.

"The Delhi government schools have kept them out on the ground of non production of residence proof, original transfer certificate and report cards. Some other reasons were, not having a bank account and age-related problems. Another lame excuse was that the last date of admission was 31st of July," the plea claimed.

The PIL sought a direction to the government to forthwith grant admission to students in neighbourhood Delhi Government Schools in age appropriate class.