High Court Orders Punjab Schools to Reserve 25% Seats for EWS Students
The Punjab government was rebuked by the court and made it clear that private schools will have to follow the RTE Act.
High Court Orders Punjab Schools to Reserve 25% Seats for EWS Students latest news: In a historic ruling, the Punjab and Haryana High Court has instructed all private unaided schools in Punjab to keep 25% of seats for students from economically weaker sections (EWS) under the Right to Education (RTE) Act, 2009. The step is taken so that children from EWS and disadvantaged groups can get free and compulsory education, beginning from Class 1.
The direction was given by a division bench headed by Chief Justice Sheel Nagu and Justice Harmeet Singh Grewal. They emphasized the need for strictly adhering to the provisions of the RTE Act and directed the Punjab government to ensure smooth implementation of this order from the 2025-26 session. The court's interim order lays down that all schools covered under the RTE Act have to reserve 25% of their total seats for EWS students.
This order was issued following a public interest litigation (PIL) filed by the KS Raju Legal Trust. The PIL questioned Rule 7(4) of the "Punjab RTE Rules, 2011," which mandated that EWS students obtain admission in government or aided schools first and then apply for reserved seats in private schools. The petitioner claimed that this rule is against the RTE Act and infringes on Article 21-A of the Constitution, which ensures the right to education.
According to Section 12(1)(c) of the RTE Act, every category of schools, including private unaided schools, are required to keep at least 25% of their total seats reserved for EWS and disadvantaged groups. The Punjab government's introduction of Rule 7(4) created a scenario in which no private unaided school in Punjab had enrolled a single student under the RTE provisions.
The Punjab government was rebuked by the court and made it clear that private schools will have to follow the RTE Act. More than 1,000 schools affiliated with CBSE in Punjab were discovered to be denying admission to students of EWS on the pretext of Rule 7(4), while CBSE rules require following the RTE Act, 2009. The order instructed that action would be taken forcefully if the directive was not followed.
The next date of hearing in the case is March 27, 2025, and the Punjab government has been ordered to take tangible steps to implement this order.
The court ruling is significant in emphasizing the need to provide equal educational opportunities to all children, irrespective of their socio-economic status. It is a major step towards ensuring that the right to education is protected and no child is left behind.
(For More News Apart From High Court Orders Punjab Schools to Reserve 25% Seats for EWS Students stay tuned to Rozana Spokesman)