Issuing notice to the Union ministries of human resource development (HRD) and social justice, Delhi government and MCD, a bench of Acting Chief Justice A K Sikri and Justice Rajeev Sahai Endlaw sought their replies by October 31 on a PIL filed by NGO Social Jurist which claimed that at present there was no such uniform provision for state-run schools.
The NGO sought directions to the government and local bodies to start two years of Pre-Primary or Pre-school classes in their formal schools so as to to have a "uniform system of education both in state run and private run schools".
The petitioner also sought the court to direct that no child of 3+ age in pre-school and 4+ age in pre-primary class should be allowed for admission in schools run by the government and local bodies.
"In terms of Section 11 of RTE Act, 2009, the Government and the Local Bodies are obliged to start 2 years term for the Pre-Primary (Pre-primary & Pre-school) Classes in all their formal schools," the PIL said.
Petitioner's advocate Ashok Agarwal submitted before the bench that in the matter of pre-primary education in state-run schools in terms of Right of Children to Free & Compulsory Education Act, 2009 (RTE Act), Union HRD ministry and Social Justice ministry have to take a decision.
"There is a need to have uniform system of education both in state run and private run schools. Almost all private schools have two years of pre-primary classes where children 3+ years of age are admitted in pre-school but in case of state run schools, no such provisions are yet there....," as per the petition.