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"Govt attacking schools' autonomy by scrapping mgmt quota"- 7-Jan-2016

New Delhi: Schools adopted a cautious approach in reacting to Delhi Government's decision of scrapping the management quota for nursery admissions even as various associations of unaided private schools reacted strongly saying the move is an attack on schools' "autonomy".
 
In a far-reaching decision, the government adopted scrapped management quota and all other reservations except the EWS category in private schools for nursery admissions and warned that erring institutions can be taken over by the Education department.
 
Reputed private schools including Amity International, Springdales and Delhi Public School, did not comment saying "they are yet to receive a formal order in this regard".
 
However, school associations which had moved court in 2014 after Lieutenant Governor Najeeb Jung had notified the scrapping of quota then, claimed the matter is still pending and hence the announcement amounts to "contempt of court".  

"There was a judgement by a single bench of High Court granting autonomy to schools for deciding quotas. Government had challenged the judgment seeking a stay before a double bench but the matter is still pending. Such an announcement at this stage when the matter is sub-judice  amounts to contempt of court," said S K Bhattacharya, President of Action Committee for Unaided Private Schools which has 400 schools
registered with it.
 
"Also, management quota is not just a brainchild of private schools but Justice Ganguly committee had also supported the issue. It is not understandable as to the tearing hurry in which the cabinet has taken this decision," he added.
 
Ashok Sehgal, Principal, Alcohon International Schools and Chairman, National Progressive Schools Conference (NPSC) said, "after schools went to High Court and it ruled in favour of the schools and connotations of it, they challenged it and the matter is pending. Then to bring any order at this stage is surprising especially when the admissions have already begun as it will create further confusion for parents."

"The larger issue is with the autonomy of schools, the government's move is a direct intervention in autonomy which is granted to schools by the constitution," Sehgal added.  

RC Jain, Chairperson of Delhi State Public Schools' Management Association which has over 2000 schools as its members, said, "having management quota or not having it is schools' autonomy, the government can't snatch that right. If there is any corruption in name of quota or there is exchange of money, the government can impose a check but why scrap it altogether?"
 
Jain also reiterated Bhattacharya's view over today's announcement amounting to contempt of court claiming that the matter is pending before a two-member bench of High Court.  

Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal today announced the decision calling the management quota a breeding ground for "biggest scandal" in the education sector in the country and said his government will not be a "mute spectator" to it.  

The government also scrapped 62 "arbitrary and discriminatory" criteria listed by the schools on their websites for admissions. However, the 25 per cent quota for the Economically Weaker Section (EWS) will stay.
 
The decision came in the midst of the admission process for nursery classes in over 2,500 private schools in the capital.