20 per cent reservation likely in schools

NEW DELHI: The Delhi government is in the process of finalising details on the reservation of seats for students from economically weaker sections in public schools.
According to sources, the government has decided on enforcing 20 per cent reservation in all schools.
Officials say schools will have to follow the order irrespective of the reservation percentage specified in their land lease documents.The quota will be applicable for all the annual admissions that take place to all the classes in a school.
Authorities say that this will be communicated officially to schools as soon as the final decision is cleared, which may take about a week.
"We all have a responsibility towards the society. The government is committed to the cause and will be finalising the course of action very soon," said education minister Arvinder Singh Lovely.
Sources said 20 per cent reservation is being seen as the most viable option as the figure corresponds with that mentioned in the free and compulsory education bill. Authorities claim this will reduce chances of confusion.
Also, schools will have to follow both the reservation norms laid down by the government and the percentage specified in their land lease deeds.
This means that if a school''s land agreement specifies 25 per cent reservation, it will have to implement that instead of the government''s 20 per cent figure.
"Schools will have to implement the higher reservation percentage to meet both the government''s order and the land-owning agency''s norms," said a senior official.
The directorate of education is now in the final stages of compiling data on land-lease terms of over 1,100 schools in the city. The details will then be forwarded to the DDA.