Delhi Govt Threatens To Take Over Modern School, DPS Among Others If They Fail To Refund 'Excess Fee'

The Delhi government told the Delhi High Court that it was ready to take over the management of 449 private schools in the city. These schools, the government alleged, have failed to follow the recommendations of the Justice Anil Dev Singh Committee and refund the 'excess fees' they had charged to the parents of the pupils.

The Directorate of Education filed an affidavit at the Delhi High Court saying the government has sent show cause notices to these schools. The schools are required to come up with a satisfactory response within two weeks, else, the government will take over the management of these schools.

Hindustan Times quotes from the affidavit: "The department has already processed the proposal to issue show cause notices for taking over the management of schools under section 20 read with section 24(4)(c) of the Delhi School Education Act, 2009 and placed it before the Lieutenant Governor, being the competent authority, for approval...."

The Justice Anil Dev Singh Committee For Review Of School Fee was set up following directions of the Delhi High Court. The committee was supposed to review fee structures of schools in Delhi and came out with a series of interim reports in 2016. In a couple of these reports, the committee had suggested that schools return the excess fees they had charged to the parents with a 9 percent interest on the amount.

The Indian Express reports: "Of the 544 schools, 469 were asked to refund the money while 75 schools were inspected and then asked to refund the money. Sixty-seven schools challenged the committee's recommendations, of which 17 cases are being heard in court."

The article states that the government made this move after a Delhi-based NGO filed a petition alleging that the Directorate of Education has failed to implement the recommendations of the committee.

The Times of India reports that among the schools the government intends to take over, some are the popular ones where the city's rich and the famous like sending their children to. "The list of 449 schools furnished to the court includes the names of DPS (Mathura Road), Springdales (Pusa Road), Sanskriti, Modern (Barakhamba Road) and Amity International (Saket)," the report states.

AAP's Atishi Marlena, advisor to education minister Manish Sisodia, told The Indian Express that they have already sent a file comprising their proposal for clearance to the lieutenant-governor Anil Baijal and had no option because the schools were refusing to fall in line.

The Delhi HC, The Times of India reports, however, wasn't exactly amused by the government's proposal. One of the concerns they raised about the government's proposal was whether the Directorate of Education had even a handful of people skilled and trained to run school management bodies. If it didn't, how did it plan to execute this 'take-over' of more than 400 schools?

A bench comprising Justices Siddharth Mridul and Najmi Waziri wondered aloud if the government was pulling a 'bluff' or was genuinely interested in the issue.

source: huffingtonpost.in

timesofindia.indiatimes.com/city/delhi/will-take-over-449-private-schools-delhi-govt-tells-hc/articleshow/60094152.cms

indianexpress.com/article/education/can-take-over-pvt-schools-that-havent-refunded-excess-fee-says-delhi-govt-4800151/

hindustantimes.com/delhi-news/delhi-govt-proposes-taking-over-449-private-schools-over-fee-refund/story-GdUQGweV5MtpK9dfnQoI4J.html

HINDI MEDIUM, a movie that takes a dig at education system - Nursery Admissions Delhi-NCR

The film shows the plight of parents struggling to get a nursery seat for their child.

If you are a parent living in Delhi who has fought a battle of nursery admission or is a parent who would do that in near future, the film Hindi Medium is your story. Having covered the nursery admissions in the last one decade as a journalist and now a parent myself, I can say that getting a nursery seat is a herculean task in Delhi. The film shows the real-life experiences of parents and the problems thousands of them face every year, with a dash of humour.

Illustration: Ashish Asthana

The film, starring Irrfan Khan and Pakistani actress Saba Qamar, shows the plight of parents who aspire to send their daughter to an English medium school. Probably the first film made to highlight the flaws of education system, it points out at the need to reform the education system. It shows that education, which is supposed to be a not-for-profit activity and right of every child, has emerged as a big business opportunity. 

While the film will release on May 19, a screening was organized on May 13 for deputy chief minister of Delhi Manish Sisodia, who handles the education portfolio, and the department of education. 

The government-run schools across India are in bad shape. Shortage of classrooms, insufficient teachers and low learning levels are some of the problems they have faced over the years. They have been left to decay for a long time. It is because of the poor standards of such schools that parents have shifted to private schools. 

More children and less number of good quality private schools; the nursery admission blues has become an annual problem since the private schools got autonomy. And it has become challenging for parents to score a seat for their child in the city.

The film is about a couple who dream to give the best education to their daughter and the problems they face. Irrfan Khan portrays the role of a father with a daunting task in hand. A businessman from Chandni Chowk in central Delhi, he wants his daughter to get admission in areputed school in Delhi. He is ready to do anything. From changing house and moving to a posh neighbourhood in south Delhi to come within the 3 km radius of the school, to bribing the school principal and asking an MLA for help, he leaves no stone unturned. The couple also hire a consultant for this. But still do not manage to get admission. Meanwhile, his worker’s son gets admission in a reputed school under the quota reserved for economically weaker section (EWS). When all other means fail, he decides to take the EWS route. 

The film highlights the pressure build up on children to speak in English and how education is creating a divide within the society. It also points out at the increasing ambition of parents from EWS to send their children in English medium schools. The RTE Act mandates reserving 25 percent seats for such children, but corruption and scams act as roadblocks. Manish Sisodia said that the film has shown the reality and that is why the government of Delhi is working hard to solve the problem. He said there is a need to focus on the quality of government school education and the government must develop a strong alternative to private schools. “Improving the system is a complex issue, but the work has already been started.” He added that the stigma attached to the government school will take time to go. “Private schools have become really powerful. They do whatever they wish to. And whenever we pass any regulation, they pressurize and corrupt the system. I don’t think by bringing more strict rules and regulation we can really solve this problem. The solution lies in fixing the problem with government schools. We are working to bring the government schools at par with the private schools by improving their quality. If people are confident about government schools, then only this problem can be solved.” Sisodia said that government schools have been left to decay for around 25 years and thus, cannot be improved overnight. “For the last two years we have been improving the quality of government schools. The confidence of people is increasing now. And it will take some time to change the perception of government schools.” The education minister also said that the government is working to bring strict rules and regulations to ensure there is enough transparency in the system. “There are laws which favor private schools. 

 Atishi Marlena, advisor to Manish Sisodia, also attended the screening. She said that the film is excellent portrayal of the education crisis in Delhi. “We know the problem when it comes to nursery admission. We know many scams happen in the EWS admission in the private schools. There is a demand and supply problem. There are very few high quality schools. And I think eventually the answer is to improve government schools.” Marlena also said that the government is working to make the process of nursery admission in private schools more transparent, and also improving the quality of government schools is the way ahead.

Source : www.governancenow.com

Sell jalebis, instead of nursery seats, says Manish Sisodia - Delhi Nursery Admissions 2017-18

Every year, the nursery admissions create a lot of hue and cry.

Following the schedule, this year, the admission process began on January 2 in around 1,400 private schools in Delhi-NCR and is scheduled to close by March 31.

While commenting on the Delhi High Court putting a stay on a city government notification that made it mandatory for private unaided minority schools to admit kids in nursery under the unreserved category and on the basis of neighbourhood criteria, Delhi Education Minister Manish Sisodia on Friday lashed out at private schools in the city, saying those who wanted to 'sell' nursery seats should sell 'jalebis' instead.

More about government's nursery admission criteria:

• With government releasing the notification for 298 private schools, which are built on DDA land, it is mandatory for schools to give priority to applicants who live within 1-6 kilometre radius of the school as their land allotment letters mandate it

Further, the government waived off the management quota, which was 20 per cent last year

Here's why schools approached the court:

Recently, few schools, including minority institutes, went to the court against the direction, saying it violated their autonomy.

What did the court say?

• Justice Manmohan said: "This court is of the prima facie view that minority schools are entitled to admit students in their own manner as long as there is no mismanagement." While granting the interim stay, the court noted that the government cannot interfere in the day-to-day functioning of the minority schools including their right to administer and admit students.

• Meanwhile, giving a sigh of relief to parents, Sisodia in recent Indian Express report said, "I am fighting for the parents who fall prey to these teaching shops."

Furthermore, in the middle of admissions, a well-known Delhi school has denied admittance to parents having more than two kids.

source: www.indiatoday.intoday.in

Delhi parents confused about ‘ever-changing’ nursery admission norms - Nursery Admissions Delhi 2107-18

The Delhi High Court on Friday stayed the government’s nursery admission notification that made it mandatory for private unaided minority schools to admit students in the unreserved category on the basis of neighbourhood criteria.

Private unaided minority schools have welcomed the Delhi High Court’s decision that allows them to omit government’s nursery admission guidelines, but parents say the ever changing norms confuse them.

The Delhi High Court on Friday stayed the government’s nursery admission notification that made it mandatory for private unaided minority schools to admit students in the unreserved category on the basis of neighbourhood criteria.

“We welcome the order. Minority schools have always had autonomy but these facts were overlooked by the government. The government’s criteria on nursery admissions unnecessarily cost us money, time and effort,” said Michael Williams, dean of Mount Caramel schools.

Some parents have filled forms for a few of these schools, and are now wondering if they have to fill new forms.

“I have applied to some minority schools and now I am confused. Will I have to fill forms again if schools decide to form their own guidelines? The government brings changes at the last moment, and then schools go to the courts, causing problems for parents,” said Model Town resident Sakshi Tomar.

Another parent Shantadru Santral said, “There are 5-6 minority schools around my house, and I have applied to them all. But now these schools will decide their own criteria, so I am confused if they will have an upper age limit or not because the government’s notification says there should be no upper age limit.”

Three private unaided minority schools – Mount Carmel School, Ryan International School and Somerville School – had moved the court contending that the circular infringed on their rights to admit students.

Sisodia lashes out

Deputy chief minister Manish Sisodia lashed out at private unaided schools, saying schools which “make money by selling seats” should rather sell “jalebis” if they want to make profit.

Private unaided schools and minority schools have approached the courts against government’s nursery guidelines.

“In the nursery admission case, some private schools are giving such reasoning which clearly shows that their business of selling seats is failing. Who doesn’t know that some of the private schools built on DDA sell each nursery seat for Rs 10-15 lakh,” he said in a series of tweets.

source:www.hindustantimes.com/

Neighbourhood may be only criterion for nursery admissions in Delhi

The distance between a child’s home and school could be the only criteria for admissions in the coming season, a move that will simplify the procedure but is being questioned by schools.

If the Kejriwal government’s proposal on “neighbourhood criterion” is implemented, some of Delhi’s prominent private schools built on government land will have to follow the norm.

“This time, we are planning to keep distance as the only criterion. This will give equal weightage to all applications as there will be no other criteria,” Atishi Marlena, adviser to the Delhi education minister, told HT.

Typically, Delhi schools follow a point system and “neighbourhood”is one of the parameters that decide the school a child would go to.

Schools would be free to determine the distance but in keeping with the right to education guidelines.

As many as 285 private schools built on DDA land such as GD Goenka Rohini and Vasant Kunj, all Delhi Public School except the one in RK Puram, all Bal Bharti schools and Vasant Valley School would have to follow the norm, Marlena said.

Till last year, “neighbourhood”, alumni – one or both the parents ex-students -- and siblings – an elder brother or sister studying in the same school -- were the three criteria for which points were allotted.

The Delhi government plans to do away with all norms but the one for distance in the guidelines expected to be released in two weeks, officials said. The admission process begins January.

With parents keen on children starting out in good schools, there is always a scramble for seats in the city’s top private institutions.

Last few years have been chaotic, with parents dragging schools and government to court over norms that were changed several times.

Lieutenant Governor Najeeb Jung, who will have the final word, has welcomed the move but has some reservations.

He pointed out in a note that only 285 of the 1,700 private schools were given land by government on condition of having a say in admissions, sources said.

“He has expressed concern that it might create a subset of schools which have admission polices different from other schools,” sources said.

Jung had asked the government to consults all stakeholders to come up with a transparent and uniform policy.

Deputy chief minister Manish Sisodia, who also holds the education portfolio, was likely to meet parents, teachers and other stakeholders on December 5, sources said.

Schools can impose other criteria but only for seats left vacant after exhausting the neighborhood norm, Marlena said.

Schools are not happy.

“Schools will suffer as the quality of students may suffer if you have students from one area only. All neighborhoods don’t have enough number of schools and if distance is fixed, students in many areas will be left with no options,” said a principal on condition of anonymity.

source: www.hindustantimes.com/

Nursery admissions: AAP Government to challenge HC order

The AAP government on Thursday said an appeal will be filed against the Delhi High Court’s stay of its order scrapping management quota in nursery admissions.

The schools, however, welcomed the court’s decision saying their “autonomy” has been upheld.

The Delhi High Court on Thursday stayed AAP government’s order scrapping management quota in nursery admissions in private unaided schools. The court said the decision was taken without the authority of law.

It also stayed the Delhi government’s 6 January order with regard to 11 other admission criteria. This included issues like proven track record of parents in music and sports during admission of their children, that were also scrapped.

SK Bhattacharya, President of the Action Committee for Unaided Private Schools of which 400 reputed schools are members, said, “We welcome the high court’s order and it will come as a relief for the parents who have been lingering in anxiety as the entire process has been marred by chaos due to the government’s order.”

He said, “Schools did not know what to do, parents did not know whether the process will be delayed or not. So, all the confusion has ended thankfully”.

The government had last month scrapped management quota and all other reservations except the EWS category in private schools for nursery admissions. It also warned that erring institutions can be taken over by the Education Department.

The same Action Committee had also alleged that the government’s announcement amounted to “contempt of court” as the matter was sub-judice at that time. The committee had moved court in 2014 after Lieutenant Governor Najeeb Jung had notified the scrapping of quota.

source:www.thequint.com

50 per cent extra seats opened up after abolition of management quota: Arvind Kejriwal

Scrapping of management quota for nursery admissions in private schools has thrown open 50 per cent extra seats for common man, Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal on Sunday said, even as he asserted that the government had no intention of “interfering” into the daily affairs of

the schools.

The chief minister also said that the Delhi government will “think” about online admissions on 75 per cent open seats in the next year.

“The Delhi government has made school admissions totally transparent. Scrapping management quota, which were used to oblige recommendations of politicians, government functionaries and powerful people, has opened nearly 50 per cent extra seats for common man,” Kejriwal said at an interaction with parents seeking admission for their wards.

The government has “cut its own hands” in doing so as the school admission process will now take place in a transparent manner without any recommendations, he said.

“We are not going to benefit from it and the government and the chief minister have rather cut our hands otherwise our volunteers would bring recommendations and we would be doling out seats for admissions,” he said.

Replying to complaints and suggestions of parents seeking admission for their children, Kejriwal said the management quota and 62 criteria for admissions were scrapped as they were not “reasonable, fair and transparent”.

“We believed in schools and allowed them to upload their admission criteria by December 31. But some of the schools betrayed our faith and reserved upto 75 per cent seats through these criteria and various quota like alumni and sibling quota.”

The chief minister said that the admissions on 25 per cent seats under EWS quota were also riddled with irregularities and the government has now made this process online.

“They will have no better government than this one if they want to do good things but they will also not found any worse government if they indulge in irregularities,” he warned.

“Now, the schools will not have their say in it. Those who will not follow guidelines and rules will be decrecognised,” Kejriwal said, adding that his government had no intention of “interfering” in their day to day affairs.

“We will think about online admissions on 75 per cent open seats in the next year,” he said in reply to a suggestion by one of the parents.

The government has decided to focus on education and health in 2016 and is working on it, the Chief Minister said adding that policies should be framed in consultation with public, he said.

Attending the event, Deputy CM and Education minister Manish Sisodia said, “There was tremendous pressure from different quarters including the private schools to maintain the management quota. But we will not bow down to pressure,” he said.

The government has only “ordinary” powers to regulate schools and it needs to have more powers to issue directions and take action against them.

“We have included this power in Delhi Education Act by amending it and sent for approval of Centre so that so that Delhi government and private schools in Delhi could work in a better way,” he said.

Alleging that several schools had turned themselves into “teaching shops” through management quota, Sisodia said that the government was determined to stop them.

“Management quotas were used as a window through which money was taken and recommendations by ministers, bureaucrats and police officials were met,” he said.

The schools are creating “confusion” over admission criteria and ending of management quota, but the parents need not to worry as the government was with them, Sisodia said.

“The schools are doing this wilfully to scare the parents. But they do not need to worry as the government is with them to ensure transparency in admission,” he said.

The Deputy Chief Minister, while criticising the private schools over management quota and admission criteria related irregularities, also acknowledged their role in “maintaining quality of education” at a time when government schools failed to do so.

“They have been told that if they face legal problems in the way of doing good things we will change it.”

He further clarified that the government has accepted the demand of private schools for seats for children of teachers and members of management committees.

Asserting that improvement in education required efforts on all its aspects, Sisodia said that the government will focus on training and quality of education at government schools.

source: indianexpress.com

Nursery admissions in Delhi to begin from January 1, 2016...there are no changes in the process...

Nursery admissions will begin from January 1, 2016 and there are no changes in the process. 

In the education minister's own words, "There are basically two new changes to ensure transparency in nursery admission - list of applicants and list of admitted/waitlisted [candidates] along with marks will be given." Many schools were making such lists and scores public already. 

Manish Sisodia tweeted on Tuesday evening that the schedule will be issued. The process for admissions into the 25% EWS/DG (economically weaker section/ disadvantaged groups) categories will be announced separately. The announcement was made through Twitter and there was no notification on the directorate's website. 

Last year's process will be followed because "the amendments to the Delhi School Education Act 1973 that the Delhi government passed in the winter session of the assembly are yet to be approved by the Centre," explains director, education, Padmini Singla, "But the process has to begin." 

On Tuesday evening Sisodia announced on Twitter, "Admission schedule for entry level classes for open seats in private schools issued today. Process to start on 1st Jan 2016." He further said, "Schools have to declare admission criteria which shall be well defined, non-discriminatory, unambiguous and transparent; criteria along with the points for each and total number of seats to be displayed on flex board at entry gate of school; all the schools shall upload details of applicant students and marks allotted to each of them based on criteria on website; number of seats at entry level in each school shall not be less than the highest number of seats during last three year; and all the schools shall also upload details of children admitted and waitlisted and marks allotted to them under their system." 

"What is new about this? This has been on from 2012. Also, separating the process for EWS and general category is illegal," says lawyer-activist Khagesh Jha.

source: TOI

Delhi Govt to launch Nursery Admissions 2014-2015 Helpline!

Finally AAP factor has started reflecting what a common person would like it to be. 

I am very thrilled with this decision, as I myself started FREE helpline in 2007-2008 to help parents but could not continue due to lack of support from anyone (includes Delhi Govt), and I could only manage to support a very few parents due to my usual busy schedule....

Delhi's Education Minister Manish Sisodia said on Monday 30th December 2013 that Delhi government would soon launch helpline. He added- "We will launch the helpline so parents don't get confused during their children's admissions in nursery schools,", and good thing is that this helpline would be directly under his control so we can expect good execution.

....and by the way, did you download FREE copy of Parent's Handbook on Nursery Admissions? Check it out.....

Good luck!