By TwoCircles.net Staff Reporter,
New Delhi: A physically disabled Muslim girl from Shri Ram Colony in Delhi has allegedly been denied admission by a Delhi Government School.
Nazrana, daughter of Zakir, from Shri Ram Colony, Rajiv Nagar, who is physically disabled by one leg, was allegedly denied admission to Class IX by the Rajkiya Sarvodaya Kanya Vidyalaya, Khajuri Khaas, Delhi.
Nazrana with her father Zakir
Nazrana passed Class VIII from Poorv Madhyamik Vidyalaya, Hakikatpur, Khudabas, Loni, near Delhi in UP in 2014 and possesses a valid transfer-certificate duly counter-signed by the Education officer.
The girl’s family has recently shifted to Delhi and they said that neither were they aware of the admission-tests conducted by the Directorate of Education, nor did the school guide them properly.
She approached the Sarvodaya Kanya Vidyalaya on several occasions but they have been refusing admission on one ground or the other.
The hapless father and daughter then approached Advocate Ashok Agarwal, National President of the All India Parents Association for help, who has now written a letter to the Lieutenant Governor of Delhi urging him for intervention.
In the letter, Advocate Agarwal has submitted that as a “matter of right under the RTE Act, 2009”, the girl deserves to get admission in Class-IX as she has passed class VIII and possesses valid transfer certificate. She is “entitled to automatic admission to Class IX and does not need to qualify any admission test for that purpose,” AIPA President wrote.
The AIPA President further reminded the Lt. Governor of institutional bias that students from minority and other disadvantaged communities face. “I believe that the State is conscious of the fact that the minorities face certain disadvantages in our society, which pose a hurdle in their education. The Sachar Committee report has also noted the low educational levels of the Muslim community. Moreover, the girls belonging to this minority are placed at an added disadvantage and where a girl-child is also physically handicapped, the hardships are multiplied manifolds,” Advocate Agarwal wrote in the letter.
He further added, “It should also be noted that majority of students who seek admission to government schools, as in the present case, belong to the lower economic strata of the society. Thus this girl-child is trying to overcome a multitude of hurdles in the path of her education, but the response from the Government school is far from being positive or receptive. “
Being denied admission to the school would most likely result in the child being forced out of the mainstream of education, as she has no other alternative. Such conduct on the part of this Delhi Government school is thus encouraging drop-outs instead of encouraging enrolments.
AIPA President has hence requested the Lt. Governor for itnervetion to ensure that the child is admitted to Class IX in the current academic year in Rajkiya Sarvodaya Kanya Vidyalaya, Khajuri Khas, Delhi or any other near-by Delhi Government School at the earliest, to prevent further loss of studies to her.