The admission schedule for Nursery Admissions Delhi for session 2018-19 is expected to be issued by early December.

Delhi govt unlikely to change rules for admission to nursery class

The Delhi government is not likely to make changes to the rules for nursery admissions in the next academic session, allowing each private school to finalize guidelines on its own, officials in the state education department said on Monday.

The admission schedule for over 1,700 recognized private unaided schools, which offer approximately 1.25 lakh seats in nursery every year, is expected to be issued by early December.

Government officials said the decision not to intervene would avoid potential legal challenges, which have usually followed alterations to guidelines and prolonged the admission process in previous years.

“This time, we want to bring the admission schedule for all private unaided schools at one go. There will be no different guidelines or schedules issued for schools on government land. Schools will decide their own criteria,” a top official in the Delhi education department told Hindustan Times.

In January this year, the Delhi government issued a notification asking 298 top schools built on Delhi Development Authority land to make residential proximity the primary criterion for new admissions.

According to the notification, applicants living within one kilometer of the school would be given preference. If there were seats left, admissions would be given to applicants living between one and three kilometers of the school, and if the seats were still not filled, to students living between three and six kilometers of the school. The guidelines also abolished the management quota in these schools.

The notification was immediately challenged by the association for private schools on the grounds that it violated their autonomy. The Delhi high court ordered a stay, but the confusion lingered for weeks. The application process, which was to finish in January, was finally completed in mid-February.

The case is still in court and the next date of hearing has been set for January 16, 2018.

The high court also told the government to make any changes in the guidelines for the next session at least three months before admissions were schedule to begin. That deadline has passed.

When told that the government was not likely to intervene this year, SK Bhattacharya, president of the Action Committee for Unaided Recognised Private School, said his body would welcome the move.

“The government needs to keep a balance between autonomy of private schools and transparency. If this is happening, it will ensure parents don’t face any confusion due to last minute changes.”

As things stand, residential proximity to the school carries the highest weight for new admissions to most institutions. The radius, however, varies from school to school. Other criteria include preference for girls, for candidates who have siblings in the same school, for children of alumni, and for students with a single parent. A total of 100 points are divided between these criteria in different proportions.

A Delhi government official said that the education department would meet over the next two days to finalize the admission schedule.

Even if no changes are made to guidelines, the official stressed, all schools will have to abide by an earlier government order that abolished 51 admission criteria considered “discriminatory”. These included oral tests, interviews, achievements of parents, non-smoking parents, and vegetarian parents.

source: hindustantimes.com

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

400+ seats vacant but locked due to indecisive Delhi Govt!?

HT Delhi : Around 400 nursery seats will remain vacant this year as the Delhi government has decided NOT to hold a second round of lottery for admission in the economically weaker section/disadvantaged (EWS/DG) category for private schools.

In a circular issued by the Directorate of Education (DOE), the government said that 384 seats have remained vacant as there were no applications in these school or the applicants were allotted a school of higher preference.

This year, the DOE had received 1,13,991 online applications for the 31,653 EWS/DG category seats. Through the computerized draw of lots, a total of 31,269 candidates were allotted schools as per their preferences.

In an affidavit filed by the government at the Delhi High Court, the government has stated that out of the 28,135 seats in 1,159 schools more than 19,000 seats have been filled.

(source: http://www.hindustantimes.com/delhi/nursery-admissions-400-ews-seats-vacant-in-private-schools-but-no-second-draw-of-lots/story-VU1MfPmQ3CL3952AVGwNeP.html)

Nursery Admissions Issue- A race against time.....

"It is a race against time," was how the  Delhi High Court on Tuesday observed while referring to the "tight schedule" before which it has to decide on the pleas challenging the Delhi government's notifications on neighbourhood criteria for nursery admission.Justice Manmohan was referring to the deadline of February 14 for submission of nursery application forms in Delhi schools.
The court heard the arguments by petitioners, including section of parents and two school groups challenging the Delhi government's December 19, 2016 and January 7 notifications that made 298 private schools, built on Delhi Development Authorityland, to accept nursery forms based only on the neighbourhood or distance criteria.
HC asked the schools if their challenge to the notification can be "bifurcated" so that the issue of land allotted by DDA and the neighbourhood criteria could be argued separately.
The school's advocate replied that the issue can be bifurcated since due to the new circulars, a fresh ground of discrimination between two school groups has cropped up.
The school body also alleged that the government has "discriminated" among schools as the neighbourhood criteria has been applied against only 298 schools while it has not been made mandatory for the other 1,400.
"If the issue of children going to 1,400 schools is not a matter of concern for the government then why is it a concern for students of 298 others? Why only 298 schools have been subjected to this kind of treatment? It is nothing but arbitrariness and discrimination," the lawyer said.
The school association argued that interest of 298 schools has to be safeguarded and being the government, it should not discriminate between students, more so, when there is no definition of neighbourhood criteria in the letter allotting land to the schools.
On Monday HC asked the Centre to explain its stand with regard to the neighbourhood norm. It had also directed the government to show the copy of allotment letters on the basis of which neighbourhood criteria was imposed.
The two school groups — Action Committee of Unaided Recognised Private Schools, Forum for Promotion of Quality Education — and parents have contended that these circulars are bad in law and have curtailed their fundamental laws.

source:timesofindia.indiatimes.com

Revised nursery admission schedule for EWS/DG category seats in Private Unaided Recognized Schools of Delhi- Nursery Admissions 2017-18

Revised admission schedule at Entry Level Classes(Preschool/Nursery, Pre-primary/KG & Class-I) for EWS/DG. Category seats in Private Unaided Recognized Schools of Delhi for the session 2017-18. 

Admission Schedule:- .
 Last date of submission of application forms in schools 14/02/2017 (Tuesday)

The date of displaying the first list of selected candidates including waiting list  07/03/2017 (Tuesday)).

 The date of displaying the second list of candidates (if any) including waiting list 17/03/2017 (Friday)

 Closure of admission process. 31/03/2017 (Fridav)

For more details Read the Circular at DOE site

Revised Admission Schedule for Nursery Admissions 2017-18

 Revised Admission Schedule for Entry Level Classes (Nursery/KG/1st) for open seats in Private Unaided Recognised Schools of Delhi for the session 2017-18


Last Date of submission of application form in schools   14-02-2017

Supreme Court setback for Delhi's private schools - Nursery Admissions 2017-18

The Supreme Court has dismissed a petition from Delhi private schools against a high court verdict concerning fee hike. Upholding the Delhi High Court's January 2016 judgment, the apex court today ruled that private schools have to obtain approval from the Delhi government before going ahead with their decision to hike fee.

"Once you have taken land from DDA (Delhi Development Authority) you have to abide by the Education Act," the Supreme Court while dismissing the petition of private schools.

The decision will have an impact on the functioning of more than 400 private unaided schools in the city.

The Delhi High Court in its January 20, 2016 verdict had said that the schools built on land allotted by DDA cannot hike the fee before taking prior permission from Delhi government.

"It is clear that schools cannot indulge in profiteering and commercialisation of school education.Quantum of fees to be charged by unaided schools is subject to regulation by DoE in terms of power conferred under Delhi Schools Education Act of 1973 and it is competent to interfere if hike in fee by a particular school is found to be excessive and perceived as indulging in profiteering," the court had said.

The judgment came on a PIL filed by advocate Khagesh Jha for an NGO, Justice for all, which had sought that recognised private unaided schools on land allotted by DDA be directed to abide by the stipulation in letter of allotment to take prior sanction of DoE before hiking their fees.

source: www.indiatoday.intoday.in/

Delhi High Court allows private schools to upload their own admissions criteria - Nursery Admissions Delhi 2017-18

The schedule for submitting applications for nursery admission is going to remain unchanged with the Delhi high court on Friday allowing private schools to upload their own admissions criteria and issue forms for now. The bench of justice Manmohan on Friday directed that the forms being issued by the private schools will also include the “distance from the school” where parents will have to mark whether their residence is less than 3 km, 3-6 km or over 6 km from the school.

The court held that since the scrutiny of forms for admissions is scheduled to take place after January 31, the final decision on whether to issue a stay order on the Delhi Government’s January 7 order making “distance” the primary criteria for admissions, will be taken before that date.

The court will now hear the matter further on January 19. In the interim, the bench has allowed schools to continue to application process.

The January 7 guidelines state the schools “shall not refuse admission to the residents of the locality”. Defining what neighbourhood would mean, the guidelines state that students who are residing within 1 km of the school will be preferred and if seats are not filled, preference will be given to students residing within 1-3 km of the school.

During the hearing on Friday afternoon, the bench of Justice Manmohan also pulled up the government for the late notification, commenting that due to the delay by government, the high court was “made a villain” since it was “forced” to consider the admissions criteria every year.

On Thursday, the bench had asked the government why the admissions guidelines could not have been issued at least 6 months before the date when the admission process was opened.

source: www.indianexpress.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

Kejriwal bouncer for private schools....

Delhi govt scraps all quotas except EWS for nursery admissions

In yet another shocker to private schools, the Delhi government on Wednesday scrapped all quotas except the Economically Weaker Sections (EWS) for nursery admissions.

The decision was announced in a state cabinet meeting where Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal called the 'management quota' the breeding ground for biggest scandals in the education sector in the country and said that his government will not be a mute spectator to it.

The state government also made some stark changes in admission guidelines for private school in December last year.

"What is management quota? Under it, you get admission if someone is recommended by a chief minister, education minister, judge, police commissioner, SHOs or by an income tax official. Either it is a recommendation or seats are sold. Management quota is the biggest scandal in the country which the Delhi Government is scrapping. 75 per cent admissions in private schools will be under open category. Other than EWS category, there will be no other quota," Kejriwal announced.

The government also scrapped 62 arbitrary and discriminatory admission criteria listed by schools on their websites. The decision came in the midst of the ongoing admission process for nursery classes in over 2,500 private institutions in the Capital.

Warning schools of stringent action, Kejriwal said the government will use all available options against erring institutions, including takeovers. "If they do not budge, they can be derecognised or government can take them over," he said.

Private schools in Delhi have quotas for management, siblings, alumni and many others. The decision also prohibits schools from making parents declare details like whether they smoke or drink or consume non-vegetarian food. "The government will not tolerate this. The idea is to make the admission process pro-people and transparent," Education Minister Manish Sisodia said.

The HC, in an order, had asked the Delhi government not to micro-manage the admission process following which the education department had allowed schools to frame their respective criteria and put them on their websites. Kejriwal said certain criteria put out by schools were very shocking and in violation of Article 14 of the Constitution relating to equality before law. "The education department officials told me that court has directed not to micro-manage the admission process. I told them not to worry. Tell the court that I have done this. I will tell the court that management quota is the biggest scandal and this should be stopped. And now the cabinet has given its approval," said Kejriwal.

However, school associations which had moved court in 2014 after Lieutenant Governor Najeeb Jung had notified the scrapping of quotas, claimed the matter is still pending and hence the announcement amounts to contempt of court. There was a judgment by a single bench of high court granting autonomy to schools for deciding quotas.

"The government had challenged the judgment seeking a stay before a double bench but the matter is still pending. Such an announcement at this stage when the matter is sub-judice amounts to contempt of court," said SK Bhattacharya, President of Action Committee for Unaided Private Schools, which has 400 schools registered under it.

"Also, management quota is not just a brainchild of private schools but also of the Justice Ganguly Committee who had also supported the issue. The tearing hurry in which the cabinet has taken this decision is not understandable," Bhattacharya added.

Private schools in Delhi adopted a cautious approach in reacting to Delhi government's decision of scrapping the management quota for nursery admissions even as various associations of unaided private schools reacted strongly saying the move is an attack on the schools' autonomy.

Ashok Sehgal, Principal, Ahlcon International School and Chairman, National Progressive Schools Conference (NPSC) said, "After schools went to high court and it ruled in favour of the schools and connotations of it, they challenged it and the matter is pending. Then to bring any order at this stage is surprising especially when the admissions have already begun. It will create further confusion for parents."

source:indiatoday.intoday.in