EWS admission in private schools: Delhi govt relaxes distance criteria to 3 km from 1 km

NEW DELHI: Students seeking admission to entry-level classes in private schools under the EWS, DG and CWSN category will now be able to choose an institution within a 3-km radius of their residence instead of the earlier one kilometre as first preference, according to the Directorate of Education.

Officials said it came to the government's notice that candidates residing in a neighbourhood within one kilometre of a particular school are usually selected in the computerised draw of lots and chances of those residing between one and three kilometres get minimised as most of the seats gets filled.

"In order to ensure uniform opportunity to more and more desirous parents to seek admission of their wards under EWS, DG and Children With Special Needs (CWSN) category at entry-level classes in private unaided recognised school of their choice of nearby locality, a measure is being adopted by the DoE for making 0 to 3 km as first preference instead of 0 to 1 km in the interest of deserving eligible candidates," Education Director Himanshu Gupta said.

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As per the RTE Act, 2009, all private unaided recognised schools (except the minorities schools) are under obligation to admit children belonging to weaker sections, disadvantaged groups and children with special needs to the extent of at least 25 percent of the strength in entry-level classes and provide fee and compulsory elementary education.