The Delhi High Court Thursday directed a private unaided school to provide free winter uniforms to its poor and disadvantaged students.
Justice Manmohan asked Vidya Bharti School in Rohini area of north Delhi to provide free winter uniforms to students studying there, after a group of students from poor and disadvantaged sections, approached the court against the school for its failure to do so.
The court's direction came on plea filed by nine students of the school through advocate Khagesh Jha saying that the school was allotted government land on concessional rates and has to admit 25 percent of the students from the economic weaker section (EWS) and disadvantaged groups (DG).
It also noted that under the Right to Education (RTE) Act, schools have to provide free books and uniforms to children from these categories.
The plea said that the school admitted the students from this category after a direction from the directorate of education (DoE) but refused to provide free books, uniform and other study materials despite the clear provisions for providing the same.
It said that the students continued their study by wearing old uniforms meant for summer which they had purchased themselves few months back. The parents requested the school authority and DoE to provide free winter uniform but their grievances have not been addressed.
The school authority informed the parents of students here that the session is going to end after few month and they will provide the books and uniform in next session, said the plea, adding that some of the parents somehow managed books and uniform by taking loans from some relatives.
The plea also sought direction to the DoE to initiate appropriate action against the school for their failure to comply with the provisions of RTE Act, 2009, and Delhi RTE Rules, 2011. It also asked DoE to frame a grievance adressal mechanism to address the grievance of the parents in urgent and time bound manner.
