Why this Kerala twin lost legal battle for admission in Kendriya Vidyalaya

The court noted that the concession for twin children is not included in the special provisions for the year 2025-26 and that such a concession existed only till 2022-23, after which it was withdrawn.

Justice Bechu Kurian Thomas dismissed plea filed by the father of the twins.

Plea for admission

The petitioner, an Indian Railways employee, contended that his twin daughters shared a deep emotional bond and should not be separated at such a young age.

He argued that Kendriya Vidyalayas had previously treated twin girls as a single admission and that the withdrawal of the benefit of reservation afforded to twin children is violative of Article 14 of the Constitution.

However, KVS submitted that while the special category admission introduced in 2006-07 had included twin girls within the “single girl child” quota, the concession was withdrawn from the 2022-23 academic session onwards.

It was stated that, in the absence of any enabling provision under the admission guidelines, relaxation could not be granted.

‘No special provision’

The court observed that in the earlier guidelines governing admissions to Kendriya Vidyalayas, there was a provision for treating twin girl children as a single admission; however, in the present guidelines, there is no such special provision.

“The Guidelines also lay down the procedure for grant of admission. There is no stipulation that admissions to twin girl children should be treated as a single admission,” the court noted.

The court observed that as the petitioner was aware that the guidelines did not provide any concession to twin girl children to be treated as a single admission, petitioners could not claim any benefit even under the principle of legitimate expectation.

“In the absence of any stipulation in the Guidelines for 2025-26, there is no reason to assume that petitioners expected a concession for twin girl children to be granted,” the court held.

It further added that what was in existence was only a privilege given to twin girl children and not a right, and that privileges conferred can be withdrawn at any time.

‘Prejudice others’

• The court observed that Kendriya Vidyalayas follow uniform admission norms across the country and that granting relief based on individual hardship would prejudice other candidates awaiting admission.
• “Kendriya Vidyalayas cater to numerous students across the country and are hence obligated to adhere strictly to uniform admission norms. No specific or selective entitlement can be directed to be conferred outside the scope of the notified Guidelines based on individual preferences or circumstances. Such conferment of benefit would prejudice those who had adhered to the stipulations in the Guidelines,” the order read.
• The court held that there is no right for the child to get admission to Kendriya Vidyalaya school, ignoring the scheme and manner of admissions provided in the guidelines.
• “The Guidelines being in the nature of a public notice, second petitioner had to satisfy the eligibility criteria prescribed therein. In such circumstances, I do not find any merit in the claim of petitioners for admission to the second petitioner merely because her twin sister got admission to the Kendriya Vidyalaya,” the court said while dismissing the plea.