The UT education department has taken action against Vivek High School, Sector 38, due to its failure to comply with the RTE Act 2009 by denying admission to economically weaker section (EWS) students in primary classes. The school, which did not participate in the centralized admission process for the previous academic session, received a show-cause notice leading to the withdrawal of its recognition status.
Despite the impending admission process for the upcoming session, the school’s non-cooperation prompted the notice. Although the school responded by the given deadline, the department is deliberating on the appropriate course of action.
The department mandated the school to reserve 28 seats for EWS students this year, constituting 25% of its primary class seats. However, the school’s chairperson, HS Mamik, contends that the institution has yet to receive recognition under the RTE Act since its implementation in 2013. Mamik claimed delays in inspection and the non-receipt of the inspection report.
Furthermore, the school asserts its readiness to admit EWS students but claims the department has not responded regarding reimbursement modalities and time frames. The school’s status as a Sikh minority institute is also under contention in the high court, scheduled for a hearing on January 4, 2024.
Mamik emphasized the school’s adherence to the Montessori system for early education, with children starting as young as 18 months and aligning with the National Education Policy from Class 1 onwards. Regarding the centralized draw-of-lots, the school argues that age criteria could render students ineligible.
This action against Vivek High School follows a similar case involving St Kabir Public School, Sector 26, which faced derecognition for failing to admit EWS students. St Kabir secured a temporary stay and permission for admissions from the 2024-25 session after approaching the Punjab and Haryana high court.
Sources suggest that the education department may pursue a parallel course of action against Vivek High School, akin to the approach taken with St Kabir. The admission process for EWS students for the next session is slated to begin on December 26, with the department overseeing seat allotment through its portal. The status of minority schools remains a contentious issue, stemming from a 2012 Supreme Court ruling exempting such schools from the obligation to reserve 25% of seats for EWS under the RTE Act.
The administration’s stance, based on leasehold agreements from a 1996 scheme, mandates social responsibility admissions for EWS, with differing reimbursement policies for minority and non-minority institutions. Legal battles over the minority status of five schools are underway in the high court, adding complexity to the broader issue of admissions and obligations under the RTE Act in the region.
