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Nursery battle: DoE asked to put up parents' complaints on website

Indian Express, 20 December 2007

New Delhi: The Delhi High Court has asked the Directorate of Education to publish the status of complaints filed by parents regarding schools violating norms with regard to nursery admissions on its website.

The court was responding to a Public Interest Litigation filed by the Centre for Civil Society.

On Thursday, the court had directed the DoE to submit a report on how it would deal with complaints against schools flouting the Government guidelines.

The order that came on Friday also instructs the DoE to send a circular to private schools within three days asking them to publish the breakup of points and adhere to the DoE schedule.

According to the DoE circular, schools must continue to accept forms until January 7 and publish the admission list in February.

However, the schools that have already closed their admission process do not have to change anything, CCS associate director R Baladevan said.

“I think it is a good beginning,” he said. “The DoE will now become accountable.”

For many parents, the order translates into some respite in the war for nursery seats where many reputed schools have gone against the Supreme Court order and interviewed children besides other violations.

“At least something is happening. But this should have been done earlier,” Sumit Darr, a parent, said. “Then we could have saved more money.”

Darr has applied to more than 20 schools and has spent upwards of Rs 5,000 on forms and prospectuses.

Touting the court order as interim relief, Baladevan said the court intervention will introduce accountability and transparency in the nursery admissions process in the city.

“There will be accountability now because you know there are complaints against the schools violating the rules and their status as well. By asking DoE to ensure guidelines are implemented and breakup of points are displayed on the list, the whole process will be more transparent,” he said.

National Progressive Schools Conference Chairman S L Jain said some schools were indeed flouting the guidelines and the court order is a step in the right direction.

“Our position is clear that the order based on the SC judgment and HC ruling has to be followed,” he said.

DoE officials could not be reached for comments on Friday.

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