No books for 18 lakh govt school kids

HC seeks an answer from DoE by April 25

The High Court has ordered the Directorate of Education to submit an affidavit by April 25 explaining why the department was not able to provide books to over 18 lakh students studying in government schools. 

The DoE has not provided study material to students in MCD and Delhi government schools even after 13 days of commencement of the current academic session. 

A bench of acting Chief Justice A K Sikri and Rajiv Sahai Endlaw expressed their anguish over government’s negligence towards printing and to distributing free books among 10 lakh children from MCD schools and eight lakh children studying in Delhi government schools. 

 Ashok Agarwal, an advocate and RTE campaigner, had moved court. 

“All study material, including bags, books, copies and pencils, must have been given to the students on the day their annual results were declared in March. Failing to do so, is no less a criminal negligence on the part of the authorities and it also makes a mockery of the Right to Education Act,” Agarwal had argued in court.

“You are saying books would be made available in July. How will students be able to do their home work during summer vacations without these books? Why have you not started the process of tendering and printing books in advance?” asked the bench.

The order was passed after Amit Singla, Director of Education presented unsatisfactory answers to the bench.

The MCD counsel assured the court on Friday that notebooks would be given to the students at the earliest.