Kejriwal govt scraps management, other quotas in private schools

New Delhi: With just a month left for nursery admission in Delhi schools, Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal on Wednesday launched a crusade against private schools. The Arvind Kejriwal-led Delhi government announced scrapping of management quota from nursery schools in the national capital.

Addressing a press conference in Delhi, Kejriwal spoke about setting guidelines for nursery admission process in Delhi private schools. "Nursery admissions are about to begin and government has started getting complaints. We have taken major decision in order to make admission process in private schools transparent and pro-people," Kejriwal said.

The points for taking school transport, working parents, parents with proficiency in music, sports and national awardee as well as they having transferable jobs have also been done away with.

"In December last year, Delhi government had directed private schools to set their admission criteria themselves but make the process transparent. However, we were surprised to see the criteria set by schools for the nursery admission process. Some schools decided to give preference to students whose parents know painting, or music, or have reserved huge quota for sibling. We have scrapped 62 criteria of admission process in private schools that were unreasonable and discriminatory, " he said.

Kejriwal said some of the criteria put out by schools were not acceptable at all. "Children of the those parents who eat non-vegetarian food, smoke or drink will not get admission. Those parents who know music and painting will get more marks. The criteria are so arbitrary, wrong and discriminatory. What does this mean? "You have a handle in your hand and you will decide whom to give admission. It is not acceptable," Kejriwal said.  

Adding further, Kejriwal said, "25 percent admission quota is reserved for EWS in accordance to Delhi High Court order while rest of seats are mostly wrongfully reserved by schools on their own. From now onwards, remaining 75 percent will have to made available for general public."

Listing out examples of quotas in different schools, he said one school had reserved 75 per cent seats under management quota and only 25 per cent were open. "The quotas include management quota, sibling quota and what not. In some schools, only 25 per cent seats are open.

An order is being issued that only 25 per cent seats will be reserved and it will be for EWS category. "The court had not allowed quota. 25 per cent quota is for the EWS and you have to give 75 per cent seats for general category," he said.