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

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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

AAP govt strikes off 62 criteria, management quota in private schools of capital......

The AAP government Wednesday scrapped 62 assessment criteria used by private unaided schools in nursery admissions, terming them ‘arbitrary’ and ‘discriminatory’. The cabinet approved the decision to strike down criteria including economic condition, parent’s profession or area of expertise, regularity in payment of school dues and lifestyle choices of parents like smoking, drinking and eating non-vegetarian food. 

The criteria used by certain schools for nursery admissions were “shocking”, said Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal while explaining the reason behind the government’s move. 

“The Delhi High Court had said in an order that private school admissions cannot be micro-managed by the government… they should have the autonomy to decide the criteria for admission. But the high court had also said that the criteria and the admission process has to be fair, transparent and reasonable,” said Kejriwal. 

“When we saw the criteria put up on the websites of some schools, we were quite shocked. Some schools said that those children whose parents smoke, drink or eat non-veg will not get admission. Others said if parents know how to paint or are trained in music, the child will get extra points. The criteria are so arbitrary and discriminatory,” added the chief minister. 

The government has also decided to do away with all quotas in private school admissions except the 25 per cent reservation for students from economically weaker sections (EWS).

 “Lots of private schools have made terrific reservations. One school has only 25 per cent open seats… 75 per cent of its seats are reserved. There are all kinds of quotas — management quota, sibling quota, this quota and that quota. The court did not allow any quotas. We are opening up 50 per cent more seats for the public. What is this management quota in schools and colleges? References from the chief minister, deputy chief minister, a judge, a station house officer, commissioner of police, income tax department… or they are sold. It is either influence or sale of seats,” said Kejriwal. 

The chief minister said that no school will receive such ‘references’ from any member of his government. 

The Directorate of Education had, in a circular on December 8, 2015, directed all private, unaided and recognised schools to develop and adopt criteria for admissions for the 75 per cent open seats to entry-level classes for 2016-17. The criteria, it stated, should be “clear, well defined, equitable, non-discriminatory, unambiguous and transparent.”

 The process for nursery admissions in various schools started on January 1 and the last date for submitting admission forms is January 22. 

The government examined various admission criteria used by private schools admitting children to entry-level classes and also cited reasons for terming them ‘unjust’. 

Explaining why the criterion about parent’s economic condition was being done away with, the government said, “Parents seeking admission in a particular school are aware of the fee structure of the school and willing to pay the same. The fee structure of the school is same for everyone in the school. So, the economic condition does not matter.” 

On scrapping the criterion about parents’ profession, the government stated, “Parent’s profession should not be a matter for the admission of tiny tots as all children have the same rights.” 

Earlier this week, Transport Minister Gopal Rai had named 283 private schools which, he said, had “cheated’ the Delhi government. They had promised to let their buses be used for public transport during the odd-even operations in Delhi till January 15, but had not kept their pledge, said the minister. 

However, Kejriwal clarified that the decision approved by the Cabinet Wednesday had nothing to do with that. 

Special grounds and why they were removed 

Parents with proficiency in music, sports etc  This criterion is not just as it discriminates against other children seeking admission.

 Parents’ education India is a developing country and literacy rate is not 100 per cent. This is not just towards children whose parents don’t have a good educational background. 

Regularity in payment of school dues This is illogical. Parents seeking admission of their ward cannot be judged on this criterion. 

Both parents are working Equal opportunity should be given to non-working parent/single working parent/both parents working. 

Status of child This is illogical as one can’t assign status to tiny tots. 

First cousin of a student This will create a homogeneous group in a class/school which is not conducive for overall development of child. 

If candidate has proficiency in music and sports It is ridiculous to assign points for proficiency in music and sport to a child between the age of 3 to 6 years. 

Mother’s qualification  Equal opportunities of admission should be given to children irrespective of their mother’s qualification. 

Attitudes and values It is undefined and likely to be misused. 

Old parents  This is illogical and discriminatory. 

Scholar students This is illogical. No scholastic aptitude can be tested at entry-level classes. 

Permanent resident of Delhi by birth  This is illegal and a violation of the fundamental rights of a citizen. 

Similar cultural ethos  This is undefined. 

Joint Family  This criterion is not practically determinable and as such there is no basis of connecting it to the admission process. 

Special quality  This is undefined and likely to be misused. 

Language skills  It is illogical to assign points to this criterion. Small children should be on equal footing in terms of their quality as an entry-level class is the threshold of learning. 

Economic condition  The fee structure of the school is same for everyone, so the economic condition does not matter. 

Parent’s reason for approaching the school  This is undefined and discriminatory.

source: indianexpress.com

Management quota scrapped in nursery admissions.....

Arvind Kejriwal said that a major decision has been taken to make the admission process in private schools transparent and pro-people.

In a landmark announcement which will perhaps solve school admission woes in the city, Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal today said that a major decision has been taken to make the admission process in private schools transparent and pro-people.

"There will be only 25 per cent of EWS and 75 per cent of seats will have to be made available for general public," Kejriwal said.

Arvind Kejriwal also said that the management quota is a scandal and his government is totally against it. He also said that his government is planning to set up a monitoring committee to keep an eye on private school admissions.

"Management quota is biggest scandal which deprives common people. Delhi government is passing order to abandon management quota. We have scrapped 62 criteria of admission process in private schools that were unreasonable and discriminatory," he said. 

The Aam Aadmi Party had in December 2015 announced that the admissions under the Economically Weaker Sections (EWS) will be online for schools recognised under Delhi School Education Act and Rules (DSEAR), 1973 and offline for schools recognised under the Right to Education (RTE) Act 2009.

source: indiatoday.intoday.in