Ashok Agarwal of Delhi-based All India Parents Association (AIPA) has written to Lt. Governor Najib Jung on a case involving denial of admission to a physically disabled Muslim by a government school in Delhi. Reproduced below is the letter for BH readers. – Editor
To
The Lieutenant Governor
Government of NCT of Delhi
Raj Niwas, Raj Niwas Marg
Civil Lines, Delhi-54
Subject: Physically disabled Muslim girl refused admission by Delhi Government School
Sir,
A Muslim girl, named Nazrana, D/o Sh. Zakir, (M: 9899902301), R/o C-101, Gali No.16, Shri Ram Colony, Rajiv Nagar, Delhi-94, who is physically disabled by one leg, has personally approached me along with her father with a grievance that she has been refused admission to Class IX by the Rajkiya Sarvodaya Kanya Vidyalaya, Khajuri Khaas, Delhi-94. The girl has passed Class VIII from Poorv Madhyamik Vidyalaya, Hakikatpur, Khudabas, Loni, U.P. in 2014 and possesses a valid transfer-certificate duly counter-signed by the Education officer. She has approached the school on several occasions but they have been refusing admission on one ground or the other. A copy of a letter written by the girl’s father to me, along with relevant documents, in enclosed hereto for your reference.
It is submitted that the girl’s family has recently shifted to Delhi and neither were they aware of the admission-tests conducted by the Directorate of Education, nor did the school guide them properly. It is further submitted that the girl having passed Class VIII as a matter of right under the RTE Act, 2009 and possessing a valid transfer certificate is entitled to automatic admission to Class IX and does not need to qualify any admission test for that purpose.
I believe that the State is conscious of the fact that the minorities face certain disadvantages in our society, which pose a hurdle in their education. The Sachar Committee report has also noted the low educational levels of the Muslim community. Moreover, the girls belonging to this minority are placed at an added disadvantage and where a girl-child is also physically handicapped, the hardships are multiplied manifolds. It should also be noted that majority of students who seek admission to government schools, as in the present case, belong to the lower economic strata of the society. Thus this girl-child is trying to overcome a multitude of hurdles in the path of her education, but the response from the Government school is far from being positive or receptive. Being denied admission to the school would most likely result in the child being forced out of the mainstream of education, as she has no other alternative. Such conduct on the part of this Delhi Government school is thus encouraging drop-outs instead of encouraging enrolments.
In these circumstances, you are requested to do the intervene and ensure that the child is admitted to Class IX in the current academic year in Rajkiya Sarvodaya Kanya Vidyalaya, Khajuri Khas, Delhi-94 or any other near-by Delhi Government School at the earliest, to prevent further loss of studies to her.
With regards,
Ashok Agarwal, Advocate
National President, AIPA
M: 9811101923
