HC seeks response of MCD and Delhi Govt on PIL for needy students suffering from poor eyesight

New Delhi [India], September 17 (ANI): The Delhi High Court's Chief Justice Bench on Wednesday sought the response of the Government of NCT of Delhi (GNCTD) and the Municipal Corporation of Delhi (MCD) on a Public Interest Litigation (PIL) seeking free spectacles for needy students suffering from poor eyesight in government and municipal schools.
The PIL, filed by Social Jurist, a civil rights group, highlights that nearly 5 per cent of students in government schools require spectacles.
Taking note of this, the Bench orally asked the authorities to review the existing school health scheme and, if required, formulate a more robust system to address the issue.
The matter has been listed for further hearing on November 19.
The petition, moved through Advocates Ashok Agarwal and Kumar Utkarsh, alleges that inaction by the authorities is depriving lakhs of children of their fundamental right to education.
According to the plea, nearly 15 lakh children are enrolled in Delhi Government schools and 7 lakh in MCD schools, with an estimated one lakh students urgently requiring spectacles.
The petition cites data from voluntary eye camps conducted between December 2024 and August 2025, where 663 spectacles were distributed, showing that about 5 per cent of children need vision correction.
It further states that many children from economically weaker sections cannot afford spectacles, leaving them unable to read blackboards or textbooks. This, the petition argues, violates Articles 14, 21 and 21A of the Constitution, along with the Right to Education Act, 2009, the Rights of Persons with Disabilities Act, 2016, and the Delhi School Education Act, 1973.
The PIL calls for mass medical check-ups in all Delhi Government and MCD schools, free supply of spectacles within a week of detection, and mandatory annual eye examinations to ensure uninterrupted learning.
The plea is also supported by representations and school visit reports pointing to the absence of routine health check-ups and delays in corrective measures. Despite repeated communications since February 2025, the petitioners claim, no effective steps have been taken. (ANI)