Delhi: Child Rights panel advises all schools to not withhold students' admit cards
Jan 24, 2023
New Delhi [India], January 24 : The Delhi Commission for Protection of Child Rights (DCPCR) has taken cognizance of schools withholding the admit cards of students of classes 10 and 12.
According to the DCPCR, this causes irreplaceable harm to a child in ways more than one.
In a letter dated January 23, the DCPCR, citing the Delhi High Court order from May 31, 2021, said, "Every year, this Commission receives complaints of the act of many schools withholding the admit cards of the students until the very last second and using it to extract fees which the parents have contested in Court or in other forums."
"This Commission is concerned about the right to education of children of Class X and XII whose board exams and results will affect their career prospects, college choices and employment. Therefore, the damage being inflicted on the X and XII students by virtue of denial of admit cards is irreparable," the letter said further.
"In the light of the above, the Commission strongly advises all schools to ensure every student gets their admit card without delay," the Commission advised all schools.
"Further, the Commission advises all the Deputy Directors of Education to be very vigilant and sensitive to this issue, and initiate immediate and strong action against schools that withhold admit cards of the students," the DCPCR warned the schools in strong words.
The High Court Of Delhi order dated May 31, 2021 said, "The school Management shall not withhold the name of any student/candidate for the ensuing Board examinations for Classes X and XII on the ground of non-payment of fee/arrears for the academic year 2020-21, if any, on obtaining undertaking of the concerned parents/students."
In a recent order, the Hon'ble High Court of Delhi January 17, 2023, has stated that "Thus, a child cannot be made suffer and not be allowed to attend classes or barred from taking examinations in the middle of an academic session on the ground of non-payment of the fees"... "The academic session of the petitioner cannot be allowed to be wasted since the current academic session is about to end... Not allowing the petitioner to take up Board Examinations would put the petitioner at a great hardship."
Citing this, the Delhi Commission for Protection of Child Rights (DCPCR) has warned all schools of strict and immediate action, if the order is not followed.
The Delhi Commission for Protection of Child Rights has been constituted under the Commission for Protection of Child Rights Act, 2005, an act of Parliament. The Commission is mandated to look into complaints or take suo-moto notice of cases involving a violation of the constitutional and legal rights of the children.
