The Centre has supported the nursery admission guidelines issued by the Lieutenant Governor of Delhi. In a short affidavit filed in Delhi high court on Monday, the Centre says in view of the provisions/clarification in the Right To Education Act, the order of the LG, Delhi on 25% seats for economically weaker sections and for awarding points for neighbourhood policy are “in consistency with the RTE Act”.
The Centre’s response came on batch of petitions filed by private unaided schools opposing the new nursery admission guidelines issued by the Lt Governor on December 18 by which various decisions, including scrapping of 20 per cent management quota, were taken.
Schools have maintained the admission norms take away their autonomy and right to choose students on the basis of reasonable criteria. The Action Committee of Unaided Recognized Private Schools has challenged the guidelines on the ground that autonomy of institutions will be curtailed by the government’s notification. HC had then sought the Centre’s stand.
The private schools had earlier been denied interim relief of stay of operation of the guidelines by the single judge bench and later approached the larger bench of the high court and the Supreme Court which also did not grant any relief and in fact, directed early disposal of their pleas.
