The parent of a Class 8 student in the EWS category said, “We were told that the quota is only till Class 8. After that, we will have to take admission in the general category or take a TC (transfer certificate). They said these are the rules and gave copies of this to us. Around 48 such students are facing this issue.”

Another parent said: “Parents were called to the office earlier this month and told that the student has been promoted to class 9, but we would have to pay fees and would be considered in the general category.”

The quota in question is mandated under the Right to Education Act; under this, private schools in Delhi are required to reserve at least 25% of seats at the entry level for EWS, DG and CWSN (children with special needs) students, and provide free and compulsory education till they complete Class 8.

Additionally, according to the Delhi Right of Children to Free and Compulsory Education Rules of 2011, private schools located on land allotted to them by government agencies “shall continue to fulfil their obligation for providing free education beyond elementary education and till completion of secondary/senior secondary education, as the case may be, and shall not be entitled to reimbursement to the extent of their obligation.”

Bal Bharati Public School is on the DoE’s list of private schools allotted land by government agencies.

A note titled ‘Readmission Policy for EWS/DG students after class VIII’ issued by school principal Suruchi Gandhi to parents on March 6 — and shared by a parent — stated that as per the RTE Act, the school needs to impart free education to children in these categories only till completion of elementary education (till Class 8).

“After completion of class VIII, the school shall issue elementary education completion certificate to all category students under the RTE Act, 2009, and shall issue Transfer Certificate to all EWS/DG students. The seats becoming vacant in Class IX will be offered to general category fee-paying students for fresh admissions… the EWS students who have passed Class VIII from our school are also required to apply to the DoE for admission in Class IX as per DoE’s rules and procedure,” it read.

When contacted, Gandhi refused to comment.

Parents said they had approached DoE officials at the district level and in the private school branch. In their written communication to the DoE, received by the department on March 19, they wrote: “The school is now telling us students under EWS/DG category are entitled to free education only till Class 8 and is asking us to pay fees.”

Asked about the matter, a DoE official said an order had been issued.

The order, dated March 19, issued to principals/managers of private unaided schools running on land allotted by government agencies, stated that these schools “cannot force students/parents to apply for SLC (school leaving certificate) or pay fee of (those) admitted under RTE Act and Freeship… in view of the above, all DDE Districts are directed to ensure that private unaided recognised schools under land obligation do not take any coercive action and force EWS/DG/CWSN/freeship students to pay fees (or) compel students to take school leaving certificate from Class 8 onwards.”

It stated that the DoE has received “numerous complaints from parents of students granted admission” under these categories in private schools, running on land allotted by government agencies, that their ward is being forced to either pay fees or take transfer certificates after Class 8.