HC seeks Delhi government's reply on facilities to special needs children

The Delhi High Court on Wednesday asked the city government to respond on a petition seeking free education provided under the Right to Education (RTE) Rules should include teaching aids used by private schools for care of children with special needs and disabilities.

A division bench of Acting Chief Justice Gita Mittal and Justice C. Hari Shankar asked Delhi government's Department of Education to convene a meeting with NGO, Justice for All, to work out solution to the issue.

The court said: "A meeting may be held between the petitioner and the competent authorities of the Department of Education, government of NCT of Delhi. Deliberation in the meeting may be placed before the Secretary, Ministry of Human Resource Development, government of India, who may place its stand before this court on the next date of hearing."

The high court has posted the case for further hearing on July 31.

Hearing the plea that sought Rule 8(1) of Delhi Right of Children to Free and Compulsory Education Rules, 2011 have failed to take into consideration the rights of persons with disability, the bench was of the view that the issue can be resolved by a meeting with the government as "government schools are doing better than private ones".

The plea filed by advocate Khagesh Jha argued that the intervention of the competent authority of the Ministry of Human Resource Development would be necessary as 25 per cent quota is worked under the grant of the central government to the Delhi government.

--IANS

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