The Hindu : New Delhi News : No compromise on quota for poor students: Minister

Online edition of India's National Newspaper
Wednesday, Mar 23, 2005

New Delhi

New Delhi

No compromise on quota for poor students: Minister

By Our Staff Reporter

NEW DELHI, MARCH 22. Asserting that the Delhi Government would spare no effort to implement the provision for 20 per cent quota for poor and under-privileged children in public schools, the Education Minister, Arvinder Singh Lovely, today informed the Delhi Assembly that 41 public schools had been served show cause notices terminating their recognition. However, all of them obtained stay from the High Court putting on the hold all proceedings till the final outcome of their plea.

Replying to questions on the issue raised by Ramvir Singh Bidhuri (Nationalist Congress Party) and Vijay Jolly (BJP), Mr. Lovely informed that a total of 81 schools had been issued notices by the Education Department. However, 40 schools had given a written undertaking that they would admit under-privileged children in compliance with the orders of the Department. However, 41 schools refused to accept the Government order and went to court. They had been granted stay by the court and till then nothing could be done against them. However, he once again made it very clear that strict action would be taken against those who fail to fulfil the norms laid down by the Government. Stating that the Delhi Government was committed to implementing the new scheme in letter and spirit, the Education Minister said public schools should not wait for Government orders and reach out to such sections in order to bridge the gap between the under-privileged and privileged students.

At the same time, Mr. Lovely said instructions had also been issued to all the public schools to inform the Department about those who were unable to get any admission under this quota so that action could be taken to enrol such students. He said that a complete list would be provided about the number of schools and how many admissions had been made under this quota.

On the issue of computerisation in Government schools, Mr. Lovely said that 700 schools had been covered under the scheme named after the former Prime Minister, Rajiv Gandhi, and remaining 232 schools would be covered during the next three months time. If the Government and aided schools are taken up, then a total of 932 schools had been provided with the facility of computer education. "We are just fulfilling the dream of Rajiv Gandhi and the commitment made by the Congress president, Sonia Gandhi, to make computer education available at the grassroots level,'' he added.

However, Mr. Jolly was not satisfied with the reply of the Education Minister and alleged that under this project, Government schools were being dumped with obsolete technology in the name of hi-tech upgradation.

Instead of providing the latest computers in schools, the companies who had been given the contract were supplying outdated computers. The maintenance and upkeep of these computers was very poor and in majority of the cases, these computers were not working or the staff was not available to operate them. Denying the allegations, Mr. Lovely said a strict vigil was being kept on the working of these companies and assured the House that the students would be provided with the best technology so that they were able to compete with the students of public schools.

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