Data sought on vacant EWS seats

■ 13,000 nursery seats reserved remained unfilled in city ◗ Those children belonging to families with annual income less than 1L can seek admission under the economically weaker sections category

In the wake of a recent report, according to which around 13,000 nursery seats reserved for children in EWS- DG category remained unfilled in the city, the HRD ( human resource development) ministry has asked states to provide data about vacant seats under the said category in entry- level classes in private schools.

The Delhi Commission for Protection of Child Rights ( DCPCR) said in the report that around 13,000 nursery seats reserved for children from economically disadvantaged households in private schools in the 2018- 19 academic session remained unfilled in the national capital.

“I have asked the states to provide data about vacant EWS seats and then we will analyse what can be done to ensure that candidates under the category make the best use of the available provisions,” Union HRD minister Prakash Javadekar said.

Under the Right to Education ( RTE) Act, 2009, 25 per cent of the seats are to be reserved for the economically weaker sections ( EWS) and disadvantaged group ( DG) categories in entrylevel classes — nursery, KG, and Class 1 — in all private schools.

While those belonging to families with annual income less than ` 1 lakh can seek admission under the EWS category, the DGcategory applicants include the SC, ST, OBC, non- creamy layer, differentlyabled, and transgender.

The DCPCR also pointed out that as many as 74 private schools in Delhi did not admit even a single student under the EWS category in the last two academic sessions.