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

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/

Soon nursery and pre-primary classes will be introduced in close to 450 Delhi government schools- Nursery Admissions 2017-18

Image Source: HT 

Delhi govt schools to start pre-primary classes.Soon nursery and pre-primary classes will be introduced in close to 450 Delhi government schools. The government is planning to introduce these classes in all 447 Sarvodaya schools under the Directorate of Education. The government plans to start these classes in phases with 150 schools from the upcoming academic session in April.

Nursery admissions in the national capital have always been a struggle with the only option for parents being the private schools.

“There are 447 Sarvodaya schools under the Directorate of Education (DOE), out of which KG (pre-primary) class is being run in 404 schools. The department proposes to introduce nursery class in these schools and start KG class in the schools where the same is not at present run,” read a DOE statement.

Officials said that by 2018 academic session, all 447 schools will have nursery and pre-primary classes. “We should be able to introduce nursery and pre-primary classes in all Sarvodaya schools by next year,” it read.

Saumya Gupta, director DOE, has issued directions to the officials to identify schools where these classes can be started and has asked them to give specific reasons for those schools where these classes are not recommended to start.

“After identifying the schools, estimates should be obtained from executing agencies (PWD/DTTDC/DSIIDC) for renovation, restructuring and refurbishing of classrooms for Nursery/KG sections as per requirements prepared in consultation with SCERT,” the document said.

“The Planning Branch to process file for increasing the norms of financial grant given for starting pre-primary classes from the present Rs 1 lakh to a practical amount commensurate with actual requirements.

“Duties and responsibilities of both the teachers of each Nursery and KG class should be clearly prescribed to ensure proper utilisation of the teaching staff,” it added.

DOE has directed that the proper functioning of primary sections should be monitored and an in-charge should be designated with clearly defined duties and responsibilities.

source: www.hindustantimes.com

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/