Provide uniforms and books, meet admission criteria for EWS kids, DoE tells DPS Dwarka

“The school is not complying with the DoE order… as well as the conditions specified in the land allotment letter which require that the school should provide 25% reservation for children belonging to EWS/DG category. Therefore, the school may be directed to ensure admission in accordance with the aforesaid order. Further, the school is also required to provide uniforms and textbooks to the EWS/DG category students,” the order stated.

It added, “However, from the audited financial statements, the expenditure incurred by the school towards uniforms and textbooks cannot be determined. Therefore, the Deputy Director District concerned is requested to ensure compliance in this regard by the school.”

Principal Priya Narayanan did not respond to calls and messages seeking comment.

As per the Right to Education Act, private schools are required to reserve 25% of seats at the entry level for students from the EWS, DG, and children with special needs (CWSN) categories as well as provide them with free and compulsory education till Class 8. The Delhi Rights of Children to Free and Compulsory Education Rules, 2011, also states that schools built on government land — like DPS Dwarka — have to provide mandatory free education to children from the EWS category beyond elementary school.

A parent of a Class 1 student, admitted under the EWS category, told The Indian Express Thursday: “My child has been studying in this school since nursery. It was only in the beginning, at the time of joining the school, were we given free books and uniforms. But for the past three years, we have been spending out of our pocket to buy these.”

The parent, who has two children, is a daily wage worker repairing appliances in and around West Delhi. “There is no fixed income for people like us. I sometimes make Rs 200-Rs 300 a day and some days, I make nothing. Imagine people like me bearing an expense of at least Rs 8,000 to Rs 10,000 per year on the facilities I need to provide my child despite getting admission into this school under the EWS quota.”

“When we approached the school, questioning them why they are charging us despite the DoE stating that these facilities should be free, the school told us these are the rules and should be followed,” the father claimed.

He also spoke about his child’s experience in the classroom and said it was demotivating to see other students being appreciated for things like homework, but not his child.