Management quota is prone to misuse: Govt

The Delhi government on Wednesday told the high court that management quota for nursery admissions in private unaided schools was “inherently prone to misuse” and this had led it to step in and scrap it.

The submission was made in response to a query by a bench of Chief Justice G. Rohini and Justice Jayant Nath as to how private unaided schools can be restrained from exercising management quota when they are entitled to it under a 2007 order of the lieutenant- governor.

“When there is something inherently prone to misuse, state as regulator can say don’t do it. Management quota is a criterion which is prone to misuse,” the Delhi government said on the issue.

The private unaided schools, on the other hand, contended that the Delhi government’s January 6 order scrapping various criteria and the management quota was not issued by the lieutenant- governor or under any statute and “ran foul” of the L- G’s 2007 order.

After hearing arguments of both sides, the bench reserved its verdict on the AAP government’s plea challenging a single judge order of the high court staying the scrapping of the management quota and certain other criteria for nursery admissions in private unaided schools.

While reserving its verdict, the court observed that due to shortage of good schools in Delhi, people were being forced to go to Noida where it was easier to get admission.

During the hearing, the court said the Aam Aadmi Party government would have to show that private unaided schools were indulging in commercialisation and profiteering by way of the management quota and asked, “Where is the basis for such allegation?”