PIL in Delhi HC against denial of RTE statutory benefits to over 6 lakhs students of Delhi Govt, MCD schools

New Delhi [India], January 20 (ANI): A Public Interest Litigation has been moved in Delhi High Court against allegedly denial of Right to Education (RTE) statutory benefits to over 6 lakhs students studying in Delhi Govt & MCD schools for want of Bank Account.
According to the plea filed by Social Jurist through Advocates Ashok Aggarwal and Kumar Utkarsh students studying in schools run by respondent Directorate of Education, Government of NCT of Delhi and respondent Municipal Corporation of Delhi are being deprived of statutory benefits like uniform, writing material, etc. as guaranteed to them under Right of Children to Free and Compulsory Education Act, 2009 read with Delhi Right of Children to Free and Compulsory Education Rules, 2011 also read with Delhi School Education Act 1973 and the rules framed thereunder as the same are not made available to students at the commencement of the academic session.
According to the plea 2,69,488 students studying in schools run by respondent Directorate of Education and 3,83,203 students studying in schools run by respondent Municipal Corporation of Delhi are allegedly being deprived of statutory benefits.
Plea submitted that report mentioned in Audit Memo dated 14.11.2023 reveals that since 2016-2017 academic year students of MCD schools have not been paid statutory monetary benefits and condition is more or less same in respondent Directorate of Education run schools.
Therefore, respondent Directorate of Education and respondent Municipal Corporation of Delhi should ensure that all the students studying in their schools have operational Bank Accounts and the benefits/ funds are timely transferred to their Bank Accounts.
Plea alleged that right to education of all those students who have operational Bank Accounts are also being violated as benefits given by respondent Directorate of Education and respondent Municipal Corporation of Delhi are always delayed. Infact, in many cases the students get these benefits at the end of academic session rather than at commencement of academic session.
Plea further alleged that though current academic year 2023-24 is coming to an end, no benefits on account of uniform, writing material, notebook, scholarship, etc has been to any student studying in respondent Municipal Corporation of Delhi schools till date. (ANI)