Pvt schools issued show-cause notice

Staff Reporter/ New Delhi

The Delhi Government has issued show-cause notices to 56 private unaided schools in the Capital for failing to comply with its order to provide 25 percent freeship to economically weak students.

Declaring the list of the 56 schools in a report filed before the Delhi High Court, the Delhi Government clarified that efforts were being made to identify those schools who are failing to supply information with regard to freeship or are defaulting by filling the quota only partially.

As part of this effort, the Delhi Government has identified 25 major defaulters in the latter category which are grossly falling short of the required 25 percent freeship have also been issued notices in this regard. Some of the top schools named in this category include Delhi Public School (Mathura Road), Modern School (Vasant Vihar), Guru Harikrishan Public School and St Xaviers School.

The division bench of Chief Justice BC Patel and Justice BD Ahmed took cognizance of the report and asked the petitioner's counsel Ashok Aggarwal to prepare a detailed reply on this list. The bench further asked the Delhi Development Authority (DDA) and Municipal Corporation of Delhi (MCD) to file their compliance report in this regard.

The list of 56 schools has been issued notices by the the Delhi Government include St Columbas, Modern School (Barakhamba Road), Carmel Convent, St Anthony's School, Mothers International, New Greenfield School, DPS (RK Puram), Ryan International (Khondli), Presentation Convent, St Xaviers (Raj Niwas Marg),and Guru Harkrishan Public School (Palam) among others.

Following a petition filed by Social Jurist, an NGO, the court had issued orders in January this year directing the Delhi Government to ensure strict implementation of 25 percent freeship to students of weaker sections of the society in such schools which had obtained land from DDA and Land and Development Officer (L&DO) on concessional rates.

Meanwhile, the L&DO has also submitted a report before the court stating that out of the nine schools which were found to violate the allotment clause, six schools had been issued show-cause notices. The DDA has also stated that it has initiated action against erring schools. The list is expected to be tabled in the court before this month