HC reserves order on 3% quota for disabled children in nursery admissions

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NEW DELHI: Delhi high court on Friday reserved its order on a plea challenging the Lt Governor's nursery admission guidelines, which clubs disabled children with those from economically weaker groups (EWS) and seeking three per cent quota for kids with special needs. 

A bench of justices S Ravindra Bhat and R V Easwar while reserving its verdict also directed Delhi government to submit fresh data regarding the number of seats at primary and pre-primary level in all the schools, how many of these can accommodate children with special needs, etc. 

The court called for the figures after observing that the state government in its affidavit has not disclosed any figures. 

"You have not disclosed any figures in affidavit. On last date you stated some figures and we were noting it as stenos on last date. One month has passed since we called for the information. We want a signed document," the court said. 

During the proceedings, senior advocate Kirti Uppal and advocate Anshumaan Sahni, appearing for the petitioner Pramod Arora, said no circular has been issued by the state till date despite the court's orders. 

The state government responded to this by saying that the seats in the 25 per cent EWS category have already been filled and the seats under the general category are being challenged in some other petitions, hence, no circular has been issued. 

The state also submitted before the court that "every disabled child would be admitted in government schools." 

The submission did not impress the bench which queried, "what about those parents who can afford to send their kids to private schools? Your present regime does not allow that." 

Meanwhile, the chief commissioner for Persons with Disabilities submitted before the bench that under the law the government is obligated to provide free education to every disabled child.