Schools move SC over nursery norms
Many issue disclaimers stating admission provisional, say it may change after apex court order.
The court, in its order, had said the stay of the notification would be “detrimental to the interest of children as well as parents seeking admission”.
Private schools in Delhi have moved the Supreme Court, challenging the nursery admission guidelines issued by Lt-Governor Najeeb Jung in December. The case is expected to come up for hearing on Friday.
The plea, moved by Action Committee of Unaided Recognized Private Schools and Forum for Promotion of Quality Education for All, challenges the Delhi High Court’s January 20 order, which directed the Delhi government to notify the guidelines issued by the Lt-Governor and also the date of admission. The High Court had refused to stay the notification on guidelines, holding that any “interference at this stage would create confusion”.
“As a last and final effort, we have decided to approach the Supreme Court because for us, it is not a fight against the point system, but a fight for the autonomy of private schools. The government does not have the power to dictate terms to us. It can only suggest parameters. This is not a fight for admission criteria, but for a cause,” S K Bhattacharya, president of Action Committee for Unaided Private Recognized Schools, said.
The guidelines abolished the 20 per cent management quota, besides allotting 70 points for neighbourhood — a criterion that did not find favour with schools.
The court, in its order, had said the stay of the notification would be “detrimental to the interest of children as well as parents seeking admission”.
“We are of the view that appellants (schools) have not been able to satisfy us of any irreparable loss and injury to them from the non-grant of the interim order sought,” the court had said.
The admission process, which was to begin on January 15, was put on hold after the government told the High Court bench it would wait for the court’s decision.
Admissions provisional
Meanwhile, parents were once against left confused regarding nursery admission, with several schools putting disclaimers stating that admissions would be provisional, and may be subject to change based on the Supreme Court order.
“I have brought the forms, but will only submit them only after the Supreme Court order. I am hoping the same criteria will hold. Or, if things change, parents are given enough time to prepare for the changes,” Manish Gupta, a resident of Vasant Kunj, said.
Meanwhile, schools such as Vasant Valley and Shriram School, Vasant Vihar, have put out notifications on their website stating that even though they have begun the admission procedure, it is provisional and subject to change once the Supreme Court issues its order.
“The admission process… for the academic year 2014-15 is a subject matter in the Hon’ble High Court of Delhi and the Hon’ble Supreme Court of India. The admission process is therefore subject to these proceedings and is without prejudice to our rights and subject to the decision by the court of law,” the notification on Vasant Valley’s website stated.
“The admission procedure is provisional as the process directed by the Department of Education, GNCT of Delhi, is under challenge and therefore the distribution of the form and initiation of the process is without prejudice to our rights and contention and subject to the decision by the Court of law,” a notification on Shriram School’s website said.
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