SC asks government to increase number of seat in nursery admission

New Delhi: The Supreme Court on Monday questioned Delhi government's decision for changing "rule of game" in the midst of nursery admission process and asked it to consider increasing 5 to 6 seats in all schools for nursery admissions to accommodate inter-state transfer cases to protect the interest of students.

A bench headed by Justice HL Dattu asked the government to hold consultation and inform it on Tuesday whether it is willing to increase the number of seats for this year's admission.

"We want to protect the interest of the students. In the name of improving the process, you (Delhi government) have created more problems," the bench said.

"All of a sudden you came out with a new notification when all proceedings were completed for the admission," it said, adding, "You change rule of game in the midst".

It said that for this year government should consider as one time measure to increase number of seats in each school in pre-primary classes to accommodate students coming from other states.

"Where they would go at this stage," the bench said noting, "Parents are spending a lot of money in silly litigation". The apex court had on April 11 put nursery admissions on hold again in Delhi schools after it put a halt on the operation of the High Court's April 3 interim order directing that those children who applied and were selected in draw of lot for neighbourhood and other categories, be admitted.

The apex court had passed the order on the appeal filed by those parents who had come to the national capital from other places of the country and had sought admission under the inter-state transfer (IST) category which was deleted during the admission process by the Delhi government owing to its abuse on a large scale.

Challenging the HC order, advocate Nidhesh Gupta, appearing for the IST category parents submitted that as a result of the Delhi government decision of February 27, his clients had to vacate the seats alloted to them after they were successful in draw of lots held as per earlier guidelines for admission.

Earlier, those in IST category also had 75 points. "The result of the impugned order (of April 3) is that the petitioners will not even be considered for approximately 60 per cent seats taken by the 70 pointers pursuant to the

December 18, 2013 notification," he submitted.