Private schools oppose Delhi govt's move to give more quota

Private schools today strongly opposed Delhi government's proposal for reserving an additional 15 per cent seats for children from poor families in schools given government land at a concessional rates.

A delegation of private schools, during a meeting with Education Minister Kiran Walia, expressed their strong reservations against the proposal as they have already been providing 25 per cent seats to economically weaker sections as per provision of the Right to Education Act which came into effect in Delhi in 2011.

Delhi government is likely to convey its proposal for reservation of additional 15 per cent seats to the Delhi High Court later next week in an affidavit. The court will hear a case related to the issue.

A total of 394 private schools were allotted land at concessional rates by the government on condition that they will reserve some seats for children from weaker sections.

The Delhi High Court had in an interim order in 2007 fixed 15 per cent reservation for children from poor families in schools which were given government land at nominal rates.

The schools said the percentage of reserved seats in nursery, KG and class I will go upto 40 per cent if they are to reserve additional 15 per cent seats and this will severely affect the general category students.

Under RTE Act, 25 per cent seats are reserved for economically weaker sections from nursery to class I.

Sources in the Education department said government prefers reservation of 15 per cent seats for children from poor families from class I to XII.

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