Over 1.5 lakh students from Class IX to Class XII studying in government schools failed in academic year 2017-18, the Delhi government’s Department of Education (DoE) has informed the Delhi High Court.
While the department said it was making all efforts to accommodate these failed students to recognised modes of education running under it, only 82,153 of the 1,55,436 failed students got admitted in government schools, Patrachar Vidyalaya and NIOS (National Institute of Open Schooling) centres.
What does affidavit say
DoE made the submission before the High Court in an affidavit filed in a case by NGO Social Jurist through advocate Ashok Aggarwal seeking readmission to the failed students.
The affidavit said that Patrachar Vidyalaya, which is under direct control and supervision of DoE, is admitting students who cannot opt for conventional schooling for various reasons. It said 11,226 students are enrolled in Patrachar Vidyalaya, which is affiliated to Central Board of Secondary Education (CBSE) in 2018-19.
The department also said that it has been running NIOS centres in collaboration with NIOS to facilitate admission in Class X to students who could not be enrolled in government schools and Patrachar Vidyalaya. There are 18,345 students admitted in NIOS centres in the Capital, it said. It said the above figures does not include students who took admission in various private schools.
Citing concerns about the failed students who could not take admission in any of the above said three institutions running under it, DoE said, “It is not that this directorate has woken up only recently to the grievances of students who could not pass certain classes. Even in the past, efforts were made repeatedly to bring the children back to the fold of formal/informal education”.
It, however, said that any student who failed twice in a class will not be readmitted as a regular student. The DoE produced an August 2018 circular which said, “In case a student is declared ‘failed’ in a class for two consecutive academic years or in the compartment examination (first chance) and subsequently failed in annual examination also, he/she will invariably be counselled about choosing other available options like Patrachar Vidyalaya and NIOS and will not be readmitted as a regular student”.
Gives list of 400 students
Mr. Aggarwal had in previous court hearings of the case submitted a list of over 400 students who have not been able to secure admissions in school. He had also suggested that DoE may consider holding camps in different areas so that every child who has not been able to get either school admission for some reason, or is not aware of his entitlement to school education, is ensured access to the education system.
With the next date of hearing of the case scheduled on April 22, DoE has asked Mr. Aggarwal to provide a detailed list of those children who were eligible but were not admitted in their respective government schools.
