Delhi High Court Intervenes in EWS Student Exclusion Case

The Delhi High Court has directed the Delhi government and CBSE to respond to allegations of the exclusion of economically weaker section (EWS) students in private schools. The claims center around the compulsory purchase of costly academic materials that financially burden underprivileged families.

The plea, presented by education policy researcher and social activist Jasmit Singh Sahni, highlights how these expensive books force EWS students to forgo educational opportunities. Sahni suggests that despite repeated directives from the Ministry of Education and CBSE, private schools continue to opt for high-cost books over affordable NCERT options.

The legal appeal stresses the potential violation of CBSE affiliation bylaws and the Right to Education Act, urging immediate court intervention. It argues that continuing these practices would ultimately harm disadvantaged children, undermining the goals of inclusive education.

(With inputs from agencies.)