PIL in HC for free education up to class 12 for poor students in private schools

The Delhi High Court today sought the response of the Centre and the AAP government in the national capital on a PIL seeking free education for students from the economically weaker sections (EWS) and disadvantaged groups (DG), up to class 12, in private unaided schools.

A bench of Acting Chief Justice Gita Mittal and Justice C Hari Shankar issued notice to the Ministry of Human Resource Development (MHRD) and the Delhi government and sought their replies to the plea filed by an NGO, which has claimed that the students admitted in private unaided schools under the EWS and DG categories are being asked to pay the fee or leave after they complete Class 8.

The NGO, Social Jurist, in its petition filed through advocate Ashok Agarwal, has sought an amendment to the Right to Education (RTE) Act, 2009 to provide free education to poor and disadvantaged kids, up to Class 12, in the private unaided schools.

Agarwal told the court that the Delhi government, under its Right of Children to Free and Compulsory Education Rules, had ensured that the EWS and DG students studying in private unaided schools situated on a public land were allowed to continue up to Class 12.

"However, this benefit is not available to the EWS/DG students studying in private unaided schools not located on a public land," the NGO has said in its plea.

The court listed the matter for further hearing on September 26.