Pvt. schools should admit EWS students without waiting for general category admissions: Sisodia

NEW DELHI: Delhi Deputy Chief Minister Manish Sisodia on Wednesday directed private schools in the national capital to admit students under the EWS category based on the allotted list sent by the government and without waiting for the required number of admissions in the General category.

"Have directed private schools that this year the process of admission for 25 per cent seats in EWS category be completed without waiting for admissions on 75 per cent seats for General category," Sisodia tweeted. Under the Right to Education (RTE) Act of 2009, at least 25 per cent of seats in entry-level classes -- nursery, kindergarten, and Class 1 -- have to be reserved for the Economically Weaker Section (EWS) category. Of the 25 per cent EWS seats, 22 per cent are reserved for the Disadvantaged Group and 3 per cent for children with disabilities.

The students are selected through a computerised draw conducted by the Delhi government. "We are all aware that the Right to Education Act is in effect across the nation, and in accordance with the RTE Act, private schools have to reserve 25 per cent of the seats for economically weaker sections of the society. If there are 100 seats for admission in schools, 75 seats are considered under the General category while 25 of these seats are reserved for EWS," Sisodia said during an online press conference.

"Delhi Government has initiated a provision wherein it will announce a draw for admissions for seats reserved under EWS category, based on the application received and information provided by schools on the number of seats available. "When we called for applications under the EWS category, we received around 1.26 lakh applications based on which we announced a draw of 32,500 seats," he added. Sisodia explained that under any normal circumstances, private schools admit three students under the General category and one under EWS category, based on the allotted list provided by the Delhi Government.

"This is the general process of admission. However, considering lockdown has derailed the entire admission process, there has been a deference in admission for even General category students. "It has now been decided that regardless of admitting students under General category or not, private schools will have to admit students under EWS category, based on the allotted list sent by the Delhi government," he said.

The application process for EWS admissions began on April 7 and the first draw was supposed to be held on April 30. However, it was postponed due to the second wave of the COVID-19 pandemic. Finally, the first draw was conducted on June 15. The process for General admissions in the entry-level classes was also delayed by over two months this year in view of the pandemic.

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