Defending its decision to scrap management and some other quotas for private school admission, the AAP government on Monday told the Delhi high court that this was done to check “unfair and exploitati
Defending its decision to scrap management and some other quotas for private school admission, the AAP government on Monday told the Delhi high court that this was done to check “unfair and exploitative criteria” and prevent any discrimination against children in getting education in the national capital.
The Delhi government said it was their duty to “ensure that admissions in schools are open to all without any discrimination based on religion, caste, race and place of birth”. This was stated in an affidavit filed by the Department of Education (DoE), which also said the pleas seeking quashing of the government’s January 6 order scrapping 62 criteria, including management quota, for nursery admissions is wholly “misconceived” and “not maintainable”.
It said that another order of December 31, 2015, which states that some schools had adopted “irrational” criteria, which were unreasonable and contrary to the spirit of right to equality, was also issued in “accordance with law.” “The respondent (Directorate of Education) was constrained to issue orders, upon becoming aware of some of the glaringly unreasonable, irrational, unfair and exploitative criteria being adopted by several private unaided recognised schools in Delhi...
“Upon examination of approximately 2,500 criteria uploaded on the website of Directorate of Education, identified 62 criteria which were patently unreasonable, non-transparent, unfair and give room for exploitation,” the government said.
“The arbitrary criteria imposed by the schools, as well as the practice of maintaining a management quota is clearly in conflict with the spirit and ethos of the Constitution of India and the Delhi Schools Education Act,” it said. “It is bounden statutory duty and obligation of DoE to ensure that no segment of population is unfairly discriminated against and a fair and equal opportunity on the basis of a level playing filed in afforded to all.
“DoE, by way of the order, has not interfered with the autonomy of the private unaided schools by prescribing any criteria which the schools should adopt,”the affidavit stated.
It further said the government was “compelled to take steps to protect the interest of the children.
